


Bughead Oneshot / Drabble Collection

by sunshineriptidexx



Category: Riverdale - Fandom
Genre: AU, Angst, Bughead Oneshot, Couple, Cute, Drabble, F/M, Fanfiction, Fluff, I tried my best, Messy, Oneshot, please forgive my grammatical errors, warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2019-09-07 16:28:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,860
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16857433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshineriptidexx/pseuds/sunshineriptidexx
Summary: Read below as an intro :)





	1. Introduction (Read)

This is a collection of oneshots and drabbles of Bughead. Each oneshot is different, but ranges between fluff, angst, and stuff like that. It won’t have very much smut. It’s my first collection, so bare with me! Thanks so much for reading! You can suggest prompts for me to do on my tumblr, @xbugheadscrownx, just direct message me the number (or numbers) and I’ll write them on here. Also feel free to follow my IG @kingoftheclquds for Riverdale edits! I’m done talking, enjoy the oneshots!


	2. You Have To Let Go, For Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Screams cracked through the air. Boots and heels thudded swiftly through the damp soil. Hours of rain in the previous days left the fields of Riverdale soaked and muddy. Luckily, the young Serpents were able to cross without completely soaking themselves with mud. Their cause of panic was a few hundred yards away. Pink highlights and flaming red hair belonged to the two girls at the back of the group who, though they were running, still held hands. Their heels deemed them a little bit shakier on their feet, especially in the mud. A tall boy with raven locks and a shorter one with a similar hair color were at each other's side, ahead of the couple behind them, and of course, the serpent king lead in the front. This king in particular had blood in his ears for a specific reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew this ended up being much longer than I expected. It's all over the place and there are probably spelling errors, so bare with me. I hope you enjoy it! Possible trigger warning? Lots of sadness, angst, fluff, and depictions of violence are featured. Be warned.
> 
> Also this is old, I wrote it a while ago and now I’m posting this on here, so my writing style has changed but I wanted to post something at least to start :)

Screams cracked through the air. Boots and heels thudded swiftly through the damp soil. Hours of rain in the previous days left the fields of Riverdale soaked and muddy. Luckily, the young Serpents were able to cross without completely soaking themselves with mud. Their cause of panic was a few hundred yards away. Pink highlights and flaming red hair belonged to the two girls at the back of the group who, though they were running, still held hands. Their heels deemed them a little bit shakier on their feet, especially in the mud. A tall boy with raven locks and a shorter one with a similar hair color were at each other's side, ahead of the couple behind them, and of course, the serpent king lead in the front. This king in particular had blood in his ears for a specific reason. 

The answer to the panic was quickly unveiled as they stopped short in front of a trailer. Old and worn, but not broken, stood the trailer of their sworn enemy. This field, along with a vast majority of land where they ran, belonged to the Southside. It used to be a home for Serpents and Ghoulies alike, but a gang war had driven the Serpents out. This belonged to the Ghoulies now. And in the hands of the leader, with a knife at her throat, struggled the Serpent Queen. Adorned in a black serpent jacket and honey colored locks, was Betty Cooper. Used to be girl next door, now a badass, fearless and brave leader, cowering in fear at the prospect of her impending doom. 

The Ghoulie leader, ex-serpent, was a blonde woman, dressed in ragged and dark clothing. She was responsible for the near death of the Serpent King, and was now holding the queen captive. The source of the cries came from Betty Cooper, who, after a heroic attempt to swipe back the mascot mutt of the Serpents, was caught, and held captive. Penny Peabody, no doubt, was the one holding the knife. Malachai, the second in charge, had the normal deranged look in his eyes. Wielding a bat with sharpened nails always deemed him ready to fight. Backup of ten to fifteen Ghoulies proved that a simple exchange wasn't an option. Tonight though, the raven haired prince only had one thing in mind: getting back Betty Cooper. With the Serpents gravely outnumbered, and Cheryl's iconic bow and arrow set left behind at her home, an upper hand was nowhere in sight. Still, rage, fear, anxiety, and panic flooded Jughead Jones's heart and mind. FP Jones, ex-serpent king and working man, quickly caught up to the group and stood at his son's side.  

"Thought you'd come running from your hiding holes after this one was caught," she gestured her head towards Betty Cooper's shaking frame in her grasp.

"Let her go! Take this up with us, but not her. This wasn't her fault," FP was quick to cut in before his son could shout some irrational threat and make a reckless move. 

"She made her grave, FP. Now you will all have to suffer the consequences." It was true. Betty had snuck off to try and rescue Hot Dog without alerting any other Serpents. 

"I'm sorry! I thought I could be quiet, but they found me!" Came the choking cry of the sorrowful princess. 

"Don't touch her!" Was the first thing Jughead had said to her. The knife wasn't touching Betty's throat, but it was mere inches from doing so. Penny had her arm wrapped around Betty's neck, and the knife inches away from the exposed skin, ready to slice is open at any second.

"You don't scare me anymore, Jones. This just makes my job so much easier!" 

Jughead's rage got the best of him, and he charged. Breaking into a dash, he lunged for her, arms reached out and eyes locked onto his target. 

"Betty!" Was all he screamed. An 'oof' escaped him as arms encompassed his abdomen and shoulders. They yanked him back, and held him fiercely. His father had pulled him back, huffing as his son struggled and tried to free himself. To no avail, however. Eventually, he collapsed to the ground in enraged cries. No tears left his eyes, but immense pain radiated from his lithe frame. His body heaved as he tried to gulp in unsteady breaths at the realization of what this meant. 

"You have to let her go... for now. We'll come back for her, okay?" His father's hoarse voice spoke quietly in his ear. It didn't stop the terrible ache that made his heart crack. Betty Cooper was captured, and in danger. He stopped for a moment, composing himself like he normally did toward difficult situations. An indignant expression was replaced with cold, stone like features. He stood up, and lifted his digit to point at Penny.

"This is not over. Remember this face, because I promise you it'll be last one that you see."

△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽

Betty was thrown on the couch in Penny's trailer. Malachai, Penny, and a few other Ghoulies stood watch over her. The night dragged on, with each minute feeling like an hour. The Serpents gathered in FP's trailer to discuss their plans. Cheryl and Toni sat on chairs, FP on the couch, and Fangs and Sweet Pea leaning over the counter. Jughead, stressed and anxious, was pacing the living room, hands running through his hair and eyes ablaze.

"They aren't going to hurt her, not yet anyway. They're still using her to get what they want, so for right now she's safe." Toni had a point. Betty's capture could basically grant Penny access to Jughead, or Betty would suffer. That didn't ease his nerves, though. 

"She's still in the hands of the people who almost killed me! She's alone, we don't have enough backup to take them, and we're basically unarmed!" Jughead ran his hands through his raven colored hair and paced around more.

"I have my archery set and we all have knives. We can gather more serpents, do everything we can. We will get her back, Jughead." Cheryl spoke up. 

As the night unfolded, plans for her rescue were being conducted. Shutters were being drawn, lights were being shut off, and silence was falling over the innocent town of Riverdale. Jughead, unfortunately, suffered the trauma of nightmares. Tossing and turning left him restless. Every time he fell asleep, it was light and feverish. Like now, how he found himself cradling his beloved in his arms. In his bed, they lay, quiet, comfortable, and happy. 

"I'm right here," was all he kept croaking. He tried to reassure himself that she was safely in her bed, sleeping soundly. 

Then, out of the blue, blood would begin to flow from cuts that opened up all over her skin. Slice marks and gashes left her screaming in pain. Then he would wake up to a pool of his own sweat and tears, gasping for air. Painful dream after the next lead into daylight, when he finally decided to just get up.

△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽

Days and nights of terrifying nightmares left him more and more tired. His life seemed to be falling into shambles as he tried to adjust back to his normal life. But nothing was normal. Today he was greeted by Archie Andrews and Veronica Lodge pulling him into a classroom.

"Jug, where has Betty been? And why do you look like you just stayed up for five days straight?" Archie's expression radiated concern and confusion, as did Veronica's.

"That's because I did, Archie. I was about to say-" a slap on the door interrupted their conversation. A piece of paper was now plastered on the window, blocking the view of the outside hallway. Whoever put it there was now gone, continuing down the doors. Archie walked over and opened the door to grab it. When he looked at it, his worry turned to panic and he whipped his head around to show the paper to Veronica and Jughead.

"What the hell is going on, Jughead?!" On the paper, was Betty's face. Beautiful as always, with her let down honey hair and glimmering golden eyes. But the black and white paper did not reflect the radiant girl he remembered. Instead was a solemn, dull colored woman he didn't want to know staring back at him. Below her picture were his worst fear, MISSING: BETTY COOPER. Last seen five days ago, near the southside border. Wearing a pink dress and flats. Hair was down, and wearing a pink trench coat over dress. If you know anything, contact the number listed below.

It was Alice Cooper's number. She must be so stressed out over this. Jughead and the inner serpents were the only ones who knew about her capture. But Veronica and Archie deserved to know. If they didn't they'd tear apart this whole damn town apart looking for her, and probably get killed. 

"Look, I'll tell you what's going on if you keep it to yourself, no telling anyone. We're trying to figure this out, but selling t-shirts to this whole school is going to make this worse." He looked directly on Veronica on that one.

"Just tell us, Jughead." Veronica was always quick with a quip.

"Penny Peabody... is holding her captive. They got her, five nights ago, right outside the border between the northside and the southside. She went behind our backs and she tried to rescue Hot Dog, but they got her. Penny took her, and I couldn't get her back." He paced in front of them as he told his story, sweating as he recalled the terrible night. His screams rung in his ears, terrifying him.

"Oh my god... is she?" Veronica started, her eyes igniting in emotion.

"I don't even know." The realization that she may be dead sent shivers down her spine.

 

"We have to go find her!" Veronica was already threatening their plans.

 

"No! No, they'll kill you. We have a plan, and we'll need backup. But Archie, I need your help with something. I'll call you later. In the meantime, don't tell anyone, and avoid the border. It'll be crawling with Ghoulies."

"Fine, Jughead. But I'm not waiting forever."

△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽

Shoes pattered on the ground as the two teenagers walked towards a shop. The asphalt had dried from the rain that had drenched the town the previous weekend. 

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Archie asked, a doubtful expression resonated on his young face.

"The only way I'm going to be able to get her back is if I go in without any fear." His combat boots clunked on the asphalt as they neared their destination. 

Jughead swung the door open and stepped in with Archie right behind him. A withered man sat at a desk, playing on his phone. It was a decently small building, with brick walls and dust everywhere. Racks of one of Jughead's least favorite objects lined the interior and hung on the walls. They walked up to the desk and Archie stepped in front of Jughead to begin speaking.

"Hey man, can I see that one?" Archie pointed to something sitting in the showcase. The man stood up and slid the door open. He took out the object and placed it on top of the case. Archie inspected it for a few moments before handing him his ID. It was bagged and they walked out minutes later. 

"Jug, do you even know what you're doing?" Archie handed Jughead the bag and they continued back to his truck.

△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽△▽

It was a cold and cloudy night. The moon seemed to be hiding in an anticipation of the battle about to commence. Eight days after her initial capture, it was time for the Serpents to get their queen back. Dark thoughts had been pushed to the back of Jughead's mind. Seven nights of sleepless terror, eight days of panic, fear, exhaustion, and anger. Built up like steam, ready to be released. Whatever it took. If he had to blow up the whole damn town, he was ready to do it. They had managed to rally up more Serpents, and Archie brought all of the Bulldogs to help too. 

Reggie and his possy, fists and abs ready to do whatever they could. The Ghoulies were adequately stocked as well, considering this was a fight for the ages. This was a war, between the north and the south side. And they were determined to win. Most of the Serpents brought knives, others larger blades and some brass knuckles. Sweet Pea had come well prepared, with his usual brass knuckles and switchblade. Even Cheryl came, with her bow and arrows, ready to raise hell. 

Boots crunched on the frosty grass. Thirty or so Serpents were heading towards the trailers, where they presumed Betty would be. Jughead lead at the front, knife in hand, FP was right behind him, with Sweet Pea and Archie flanking them. Archie brought his baseball bat. As they drew near, Ghoulies began to pour out from behind the trailers and crowd the border. There was easily forty. Jughead stopped ten feet away from them, a stone cold look on his face. Penny Peabody, gripping Betty Cooper by the arm, emerged. Jughead could feel his blood begin to boil as he saw how tired and malnourished Betty looked. 

"This doesn't have to be difficult, Penny. We can make an easy exchange. Your life, for her safe passage badly to us." Jughead's voice was calm, collected, and viciously cold. His emotion had be ripped out of him the moment he knew he couldn't save Betty eight nights ago. 

"Jones, you don't scare me. You're a sad little kid who has never played with matches before. Watch out, or you'll get burned." She jerked Betty towards her, and held her arm around Betty's neck. Betty squealed, and brought her hands up to the Ghoulie leader's arm to try and ease the pain. 

Before he could even think, the barrel of a gun was pointed directly at Penny's forehead. Precision had helped him, along with determination. He was still ten feet away, but he was completely still, and shockingly accurate. It clearly took his opposer by surprise.

"Hey, we never added guns to the mix." She backed a step up, which was the indication that Jughead had the upper hand. No one was prepared for this. The Serpents were clearly surprised too. Gasps and grunts proved their confusion at the new weapon added to the mix. 

"Hand my girlfriend over, and you can leave with your life." Jughead did not move his head at all. His eyes locked on her forehead, and his still hand was kept in place as he talked.

"Jughead Jones, you will regret this, I promise that." Penny waved her hand up, and Ghoulies began to swarm around her, blocking his shot from her. He immediately put the gun away, and replaced it with a huge knife. He was ready, and so were the other Serpents. 

He charged, releasing all of the pent up energy he was storing for this moment. His eyes were only trained on one person. He brought his knife up and began slashing at the men surrounding him. One grabbed his shoulder and aimed a punch, but he was quicker. He stabbed the Ghoulie straight in the shoulder, causing the man to release a loud yell, collapsing to the ground in pain. He continued on, slashing and stabbing anyone in his way. 

Finally, someone landed a punch on him, slamming directly into his face. He fell sideways, flopping onto the ground. Blood splattered out of his mouth, but he was not finished, not even close. He rounded his knife like he was throwing a hook and slashed the opposers face, causing him to fall back in agony. More were on him in seconds, beating him, and grabbing him. 

Luckily, Fangs was able to throw them off and help him up. Finally, he was face to face with Penny Peabody, who still held Betty Cooper in his grasp. He had his chance, and reached an arm out to grab Betty. She grabbed it and he pulled her towards him. Penny reached out an arm to grab her but he slashed at it and she recoiled, growling in pain. 

Betty was in his arms in a second, shaking and hugging him. He needed to get out of the thick of it and help her. Penny was already gone, knowing that she wasn't going to get Betty back. The Ghoulies seemed to be retreating, but he could tell Betty was weak. In fact, she was crumpling to the ground at the moment. He picked her up in his arms, and began to walk away from the fighting. His knees felt like Jell-O, but he pressed on. 

Finally, the other Serpents were joining him, starting the trek back to Sunnyside trailer park. Alice was on a retreat for two weeks, so he brought her back to his father's trailer to recover. He set her down on the couch as FP talked to the Serpents outside.

"Jug..." she groaned, rolling onto her side. The emotion he had been trying to hide came rushing back in seconds. The hurt in her eyes and the bruises on her arms but his eyes sting.

"God, Betty, I'm so sorry it took so long. We had to gather enough Serpents to be able to fight her and I bought the gun in case I needed to shoot her, but I'm here. I'm here now, and that's all that matters." He rested his forehead on hers, wrapping her in a tight embrace. She still had enough energy to hug him back. He never cried, not because he was emotionless, but because the constant terror in his house as a kid exhausted him from all the tears he could cry. But tonight, he found some newfound emotions-- relief, love, worry, and maybe anger. Relief that she was safe, love that he could hold her, and kiss her, worry that she might be in danger, and anger towards the woman who did this to her. This wasn't Betty's fault. She was just trying to rescue Hot Dog. He promised himself she'd never be on the front line again. 

"We should go... to the hospital...." she was barely whispering. He didn't hesitate before scooping her up and bringing her outside. Archie and Veronica had arrived at that point, and FP  was filling them in. Jughead raced over to Archie's truck, and placed Betty in the back before rushing to the front and starting the engine when he found Archie's key still in the ignition. The truck roared to life, and he sped away immediately. Pure panic flooded his mind, and he sped way faster then he should have down the road. Before he knew it, he was carrying her into the hospital. He was yelling, cries of desperation, crackling with worry and fear.

"Somebody help! God help her, please!" he almost tripped over himself, but managed to get to the front desk. Nurses rushed out and got a stretcher. He laid her down, and they swarmed him. He got shoved back, where he stood, running his hands through his messing raven locks. Seconds later, Archie, Veronica and Cheryl burst through the doors, frantically scanning the room for him or Betty. When they spotted him, they all met up by exchanging a group hug. Normally Jughead would be against hugs; except from Betty, but now without the most important person in his life in his arms, he needed some way to seek comfort. 

"What happened? Is she okay?" Veronica asked. His words felt choked under everything that happened. His throat felt like it was being strangled, but he sputtered out a few words to appease her dying confusion.

"I brought her here... she asked me to, god something must be wrong." He ran his hands through his hair again and paced the floor. A sickening feeling overwhelmed him, and his head seemed to flutter away. He breathed in heavily and the conversation between Archie and Veronica continued. They could have been talking to him, but he paid no attention and his head seemed to push everything away. It was trying to harden him. The walls that took so long to come down were fighting themselves back up. He didn't want them up, but it didn't seem to matter. He had to see her. Before his emotion was a thing of the past and he left. He'd leave this damn town if she didn't live. He'd leave, he'd go to the farthest regions of the Earth and stop living if it meant that he could see her again. She was going to help him graduate, she was going to help him write books. They'd grow up together, she couldn't leave him now. God, no, she couldn't.

"Jug!" came the concerned snap of Archie. He whipped his head up to see Archie and Veronica both staring at him. He had no idea what was going on.

"What?" He asked, his eyes fluttering between both of them. Heaves of breaths escaped his mouth, and he felt like he could barely breathe. He was collapsing, but hoped no one could tell.

"How did she look? When you brought her back to your trailer?" The thought haunted him. The bruises, her tired eyes, how malnourished she was, the cuts. It haunted him and made him want to throw up more than he could ever imagine.

"She was bruised, malnourished, and exhausted. Cuts on her arms too. She was so thin, its haunting me. God Arch I just want to run. I want to run and never look back." Jughead never really shared personal thoughts, but it just spilled out.

"Jug, look at me." Jughead ripped his gaze from the floor and stared at the redhead, "Take a deep breath. You need her, she needs you. She's not giving up on you, so don't give up on her. Sit down, try to sleep, you look like you've never known sleep before." Jughead nodded. He was beyond tired, but how could he ever fall asleep? After he He slowly hunched down on the floor and laid down, closing his eyes. He was ripped from reality as sleep consumed him. His dreams were nightmarish. He didn't wake up once though. 

Finally, someone tapped him awake. He jolted up, and opened his eyes to see a nurse gazing at him. 

 

"Can I see her?" He rasped. His voice was strained from his near panic attack from the previous night.

"Yes, she's down the hall in room 301. She's awake." The nurse walked away as he jolted up and barreled down the hallway. He skidded to a halt at 301 and almost threw the door open. He caught it, and stared at the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen. Even with tired eyes and a thin frame, her honey colored hair was radiant. Emotion overwhelmed him, and he choked on his breath. He let out sputtering coughs as he shut the door and rushed over to her. He stopped just before her, shaking violently as he tried to regain his breath.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly. He stopped after a few seconds, and promptly enveloped her in a hug. He buried his face in her beautiful hair and soft skin. His arms wrapped around her tightly as he whimpered quietly. He hadn't felt such joy is such a long time.

"God, you scared me so much. I thought you were going to die. We have college to endure together, Betts." He choked out, laughing softly.

"I would never leave you. No gang war could separate us. I don't care if I'm on life support. You don't ever give up on me, you hear me?" she tilted his chin up to her face with her finger. He immediately brought his lips to hers and released all of the emotions that had been rushing through his mind. Her kiss calmed him, the softness of her lips releasing all of the pain he'd gone through to get back to her. When they broke apart, the piece of him that had been missing finally came back. The walls that were trying to crush him simply melted away.

"I love you so much. I'm never letting you go anywhere again." He laughed breathlessly. 

"The queen and king belong together." she was making poetic jokes after she almost died. He chuckled. She scooted over, and he got into bed next to her. She faced him, and he wrapped her up in his embrace within seconds. His peace had returned. Betty Cooper, his love, was okay. It was good to say that.

"I love you, Juggie."

"I love you too, Betts."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! This was so long, but I had so much fun writing it. If you want more, please comment! It really inspires me! Please forgive my spelling I edited this myself.


	3. Painkillers and Bandaids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I just came here to tell you to stay away from Betty. She doesn't want to see you anymore."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is how I would have wanted 2x05 Bughead breakup to go. I hope you like it, it'll probably be shorter than normal. Angst, fluff, and sad Jughead featured.
> 
> This is old too, so it’s not my best. But I hope you like it anyway.

"I just came here to tell you to stay away from Betty. She doesn't want to see you anymore." That was not what Jughead was expecting Archie to say. Only days ago they had exchanged words Jughead thought he would never say again. 'I love you, Betty Cooper' flashed through his mind. Her beautiful golden hair, forest green eyes, and soft skin made his heart melt every time he looked at her. But now she didn't want to see him? Why?

"What? Why?" Jughead asked, his expression melting into hurt and sadness. This side of him never showed. He never thought his vulnerable side would either, but he when he confessed his love to her, it all changed.

"She's been wanting to break up with you for weeks. She never had the guts to do it, so here I am. I'm telling you to stay the hell away from her!" Archie snapped, folding his arms and furrowing his brows in a menacing expression. Disbelief was what came next.

"Screw you, I just saw her yesterday! She was fine!" He shot back as his eyes began to sting. Crying? Pathetic. He felt a lump in his throat, too.

"She doesn't want to see you anymore, Jughead. What else do I say?" Archie scoffed and turned around to leave, but this couldn't be over. He reached his arm out and turned the redhead back around to face him.

"What the hell is going on? Betty wouldn't do that!" He knew her. She wouldn't send Archie to do her dirty work. Not like this. What he didn't know, however, was that the serpents were right behind him. Watching this fiasco go down, judging, mocking, laughing.

"It's over Jughead! Stay away from her." Archie ripped himself away from the raven haired broken hearted prince. Shock radiated through his mind. Questions bombarded him like gnats on a muggy day. His hand slowly fell to his side as he felt the heart he cherished enough to give away being shredded, and handed back to him. Fix it, it mocked. Put it back together and never love again. But he wasn't ready. He wasn't going to give up on her yet. He wanted to stay in the light, and bask in it. Betty Cooper was something he'd never get again. Someone he would never find a replacement for. And he wasn't going to give up because Archie told him to. But when he turned around to hop on his motorcycle and beg her to stay, he noticed the Serpents. Staring, judging, laughing. At his grief. An expression of enraged silence settled on his face. His hardened, angry, eyes bounced between all of them. 

"What?! Did you enjoy the show?" He snapped, suddenly feeling awkward. His weakest moment, right for the world to see. 

"The show is about to get started, Jones." Sweet Pea, the second in charge, chuckled from his spot. His choices suddenly came back to his mind.

"No, no. I'm not doing this. I have to go, I'm not doing this right now." He moved forward to get to his bike, but they grabbed him by his arms and held him while he struggled. 

"I said no! Let me go Sweet Pea!" He yelled, writhing violently to try and free himself. They were stronger than him and he knew that. But before he could try anything else, Sweet Pea's knuckle collided with his face and everything went black. 

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

When he came to, it was dark. He was laying on the ground, while the serpents stood above him. The memories from the day made him dizzy as they forced their way back into his mind. His goal. Betty Cooper. This was why he was here. He groaned, and turned on his back. 

"Princess is finally awake. Ready to start?" Sweet Pea asked, leaning closer to Jughead.

"No-" he croaked, "let me go. Not tonight." His energy was already so depleted, and he felt like passing out. But he couldn't leave Betty.

"You signed up, Jones. It's now or never." Fangs grabbed his arm and tore him from the ground. He stumbled onto his feat and his gaze flitted between the mass of gang members currently staring at him. His eye throbbed, and he realized that's probably where Sweet Pea punched him.

"Never! I choose never, let me go!" He tried to push his way through the crowd, but his imbalance and amount of opposers caused him to be dragged back.

"No, Jones. This is it. This is the final test. You better be ready." 

The Serpents started closing in. Jughead had never been claustrophobic, but he suddenly felt like the world was imploding in on him. He nodded with an empty expression on his face, and that's when it really came crashing down. Fangs grabbed his shoulder and shoved a punch to his gut before he could even comprehend what this meant. The breath whisped out of his lungs, and he heaved in another to try and re-balance himself. He couldn't, however, because the wave of punches practically knocked him out again.

He stumbled back, not even being able to clutch the part of his body that hurt. It all hurt. The punches ceased for a moment, where he realized the big one was coming. Sweet Pea tightened his grip around brass knuckles, and twisted his wrist in a flaunting matter before hooking it directly into Jughead's face. His cheek took the blow and he flew sideways, slamming his body and then his head into the ground. Pieces of his mind seemed to scatter. The world buzzed, and his vision seemed to split into three views like it does in the cartoons. 

His blood splattered all over the dewy grass, along with tears. They scattered, sticking to the cold that already gripped each blade. His vision gradually faded away, leaving the bleeding, beanie clad boy laying in the grass. But before he went, he realized that his world had collapsed in only a day. First Betty's unknown split he was doubtful of, and finally being beat to what felt like death. He felt dead. He noticed that the sun had just gone down right before slipping away. 

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

Even though he had been beaten and bled all over the grass, his pure determination that had sparked inside him the moment Archie turned his back had kept him alive. Now, as he looked up into a room he knew so well, he got a terrible feeling in his stomach. One that made him want to throw up, but he took a deep breath and started up. After waking up on his couch, he sat up to a throbbing headache and sore muscles. Nevertheless, painkillers and band aids had led him here. He climbed up slowly, trying to keep his balance. Emotional and physical trauma had really taken their toll on him. He reached the top, reaching out his hand to tap lightly on his favorite blonde's window. After he did, he braced himself for anything. Yelling, crying, a slap in the face, whatever he deserved. He didn't care. What he was met with, however, melted and broke his heart even more. Betty Cooper, in a signature sweater and sweatpants, with red rimmed and puffy eyes. She had already cried. The shock on her face, however, was interesting. As if he wasn't going to go after her and try to fix things. Once she finally opened the window, he realized that the shock also contributed to his busted lip, bruised limbs, and exhausted appearance. 

"Jug.. oh my god, what happened?" she asked as he climbed in. He stayed standing, facing her.

"Was it true?" he had to know if he should be trying to fix this or just ring out his remaining emotions.

"Jug... I- It was complicated..." she stuttered. That wasn't an answer.

"Is this over?" he asked more bluntly. This seemed to stop her in her tracks. She froze, staring up at him with wide, bewildered eyes. He didn't know how to respond. He didn't even know what was going on.

"No..." she shut her window, "I-I have to explain.... but no, it wasn't meant to be over." She starting fiddling with her sleeves like she always did when she was nervous. It was his move, he decided, then, to run over to her and wrap her in the biggest hug could imagine. He scooped her up and brought her forehead to his, not saying a word. A confused squeak slipped out of her mouth, but he just held her, arms wrapped around her waist and eyes shut tight. He finally felt at peace after the worst day of his life. After a minute or two, he put her back on the ground and sat down as the exhaustion really started to sink in. She sat down next to him, their backs leaning against the bed. 

"Jug, please, tell me what happened?" She brought her hand up to his black eye, and he let her stroke his cheek gently. 

"After Archie came to tell me to stay away from you, I planned on coming to your house right away to talk, but.. the Serpents grabbed him. I wouldn't stop struggling, so they knocked me out, and when I woke up, I was forced to run the gauntlet, against my will. God- it hurt every second, and by the end I felt so numb that it hurt, but I didn't give up." He choked on his words, recalling the unimaginable amounts of pain he had gone through. 

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen. If Archie has stayed, he could have helped you..." she began to cry again, resting her hand on his knee. He hated to see her cry, it always made his heart hurt. He placed his hand behind her head and brought it to his chest. He twined his other hand with hers, and, sighed.

"So, why did you send Archie to breakup with me? Why not do it yourself?" He blurted out, now really wanting to know.

"The Black hood... he's been calling me," she started, but that was enough for him to pull her head away from his chest, to look at her.

"What?" He asked. That was certainly not the answer he was expecting.

"He's been torturing me. I had to cut Veronica out of my life," hence why she left Nick's jingle jangle party, "and then he told me to do it to you.. I didn't want to Jug but I couldn't see you get hurt. But now look where that's gotten us!" She cried helplessly. 

"He's been torturing you?" He repeated her words, staring at her in disbelief.

"You can't tell anyone, or he'll kill us both." Betty practically begged him, but all he wanted to do was shoot this mystery killer with the biggest gun he could find. Inflict the most pain he could ever imagine.

"I'm so sorry, Betty. You should have told me, I never would have let you get hurt," he always promised himself to keep her safe, no matter what happened. It didn't matter what happened to him, he had no life ahead of him. But now, while wrapped up in her arms, he felt at peace, for the first time in so long. Her quiet sobs were interrupted by the kisses he placed on her forehead. He ran his hands through her hair gently and wrapped her up so tight, he could finally feel safe. They could face the black hood together, and Archie couldn't stop him. No one could, because he finally had back what meant the most to him. And then she kissed him, reaffirming his vow to keep her safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! I hope you liked it, like I said it’s a tad old so sorry for errors and such.


	4. Go Back for Her

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 3x07 fix-it-fic, because the way it played out was just confusing. SPOILER WARNING, obviously.

"Maybe you should go back," deep down he knew Archie was right. Deep down he knew Betty never missed his calls for this long. She always answered, but so far he had gotten radio silence. They were probably a two days walk out from Riverdale, even after their fiasco on the farm. They were headed to Toledo, but Jughead wanted to stop at a phonebooth and try to call Betty again. No luck. 

"Dude, I can't leave you alone for an hour without you almost getting yourself killed. We'd both have to go back." He knew that Archie wasn't safe anywhere, but in Toledo was their best option. His mother and sister could help them, or hold onto Archie until they figured out a plan. At least so he could go back to Riverdale and catch up. 

"Wait, what if I send you to Toledo with a message? I know my mother and I aren't on great terms, but she has to keep you safe. She owes you for taking care of me. Let me write a letter so she knows it's not just a random dude and then I can show you where to go. Just be careful, and don't stop on anymore farms."

After a half an hour, they were ready to depart. Jughead showed Archie the direct way to Toledo via a map they found, and he had given Archie most of what they needed. It was a half a day walk for Archie to Toledo, so most of the food went to Jughead, since he was two days away from Riverdale. 

"Good luck, and lay low. Hiram could be anywhere, as we now know. Give my mom that letter, and take cover there. Check up on JellyBean too." He slapped his friend on the back and they split paths, Jughead turning back to begin his journey to Riverdale, and Archie to Toledo. 

—————————-

When sundown came, he had to stop for the night. The biting cold was numbing his nose and with only his Sherpa jacket and his t-shirt underneath, he was freezing. There wasn't a building in sight. No train station, bus stop, house, farm, or even school, he was alone with the path, the trees, and the night. So, in classical Jughead fashion, he settled under a tree. Better than in the school, right? Well, it was the best he could do. He was still shivering, but he had his flannel to wrap around himself as well. 

Although he knew Archie was probably with his mother now, he was still worried. Who knows what could have happened along the way, but he knew even if he wasn't going back for Betty, it was the right choice. Hiram didn't have any ties to Gladys, so he had no idea where she was. Jughead returning would throw him off, at least he hoped so. Archie Andrews could be anywhere by now, but with Jughead back in Riverdale, he had no leads. 

Even though he wasn't completely focused on Betty's whereabouts, he was still worried. She was strong, he knew that, but she never missed his calls this many times. She hadn't answered at all since the day he left. Even that night she hadn't answered. That thought sent his heart racing, but he tried to reason with himself. She's strong, she'll survive. She took down a serial killer, alone. She's probably at Veronica's house or maybe she lost her phone. It only slightly soothed his rushing thoughts. Her sweet smile drifted through his mind as he slipped into a light slumber, tossing and turning until morning. 

——————————-

Half a day out from Riverdale, his legs ached. Everything ached, to be honest. He wasn't a football player or a star wrestler, he was a writer who spent his time in diners, not crossing all of Canada. He continued to take pictures of his findings along the way, the only sane thing he could think of, since he left his cell phone at home as well as his headphones. Thank god today had been sunny, considering the previous few had been cloudy and cold. He still had his hands shoved in his pockets, but it was warmer than usual nonetheless. 

As he continued off the path onto another one, a phone booth came into view. Thank god, maybe if he called Betty he could ease his nerves. He approached it and slipped into the booth. He produced two quarters from his pocket and shoved them into the coin slot, starting to put in Betty's number a few seconds after. 

"Hello, you've reached Betty Cooper, leave a message." The familiar words echoed back. Silence. 

"Hey, um, Archie and I are still on the run. Hiram almost got us, but we got away," he chuckled sadly, "he's safe now. Hold tight, we'll be back soon. I love you." He hung up. He didn't want to tell her that he was coming back, maybe to surprise her, but a deep part of him had the terrible feeling she wasn't there. What did he think could have possibly happened to her, anyway? She was a badass, there was no way she wouldn't find a way out of wherever she was. 

————————————

*click* the door to the trailer unlocked. In stumbled a sleep deprived worried sick boy who was starving. 

"Jughead!" His father gasped, rushing over to him and hugging him. 

"Dad, I'm- uh, I'm back. Got any food?" He smiled tiredly, just longing for some food and sleep. Even though worry gnawed at him, he had to regenerate before he passed out. 

"Yeah, yeah, what happened?" He asked as he headed for their small kitchen to make something. Jughead settled in the chair at the table and started to describe their crazy run in with Hiram Lodge and tanglings with the farm girls. He also described the ghost town he went to, with the symbols and drugs. 

"He's a crazy bastard, that's for sure," his father concluded irritatedly. He set down a sandwich he made for Jughead in front of him and then returned a second later with a water bottle. 

"Archie's safe, I took him to mom. She can protect him, and she owes the Andrews. Hiram has his hands all over everything." His father nodded, "You are right about that. Why didn't you tell us you were leaving?" he questioned.

" 'Us'? I tried to call Betty, but she didn't answer. She still hasn't. She's probably sleeping now, but I'll talk to her in school tomorrow." he voiced part of his concern in his words, but his dad didn't catch on.

"She's probably at Veronica's. Alice and Polly left the night you and Archie did. I thought she went with them, but now that I think about it there's no way she would have let herself be dragged into that." Alice and Polly left? Where?

"What do you mean, left? Where did they go?" he asked, not sure what he was supposed to feel. Relieved that she could be out of danger, blind to the fact that his father suggested that she didn't go, and hurt that she hadn't answered his calls and possibly up and left. Was she ignoring him?

"To the farm, with those crazy people. I don't know much, she just said she was going to the farm before up and leaving. The house has been empty for days, I don't know how long they'll be gone." his father sighed, and placed his head in his hands.

After Jughead had finished his sandwich, he managed to bring himself to his bed, and flopped down, not even having enough energy to cover himself. FP had already offered his bed while they were eating dinner, so he had no issues taking it. To be fair he was beyond exhausted. Between a poor night's rest from his travels, little food besides the turkey and cheese sandwich, miles and miles of walking half way to Toledo, and then walking the whole way back along with the pounds of worry on his shoulders. Worry for Betty, worry for Archie, worrying for everyone's safety and a few mysteries felt like so much weight on his shoulders. In seconds, he was fast asleep.

\---------------------------

As he walked into school the next morning, he kept his eyes peeled for his Hitchcock blonde. If she wasn't in the Blue and Gold, she'd be walking with Veronica, laughing with Kevin in the lounge room, talking to Cheryl about some issue, or possibly alone because of how he left her. He didn't mean to leave so abruptly, but Archie was in serious danger and he really owed his best friend. He knew Betty would understand, plus he came back for her. He would make things right, he just needed to find her. He neared the Blue and Gold and looked in to see if Betty was there. Then again, if she was staying with Veronica, then she wouldn't be at school so early. He had to find Veronica, at least then he could catch himself up to speed in terms of what was going on at school. He sighed and continued walking, settling his all familiar headphones over his head to brood and stroll through the hallway.

A muffled sound from behind him jerked him from his thoughts. He raised his head and turned around to see Veronica's wide eyes staring back at him, though he hadn't heard what she said. He paused the music and slid the headphones off his head.

"Jughead, oh my god, you're back! Is Archie back too?" she asked, a hopeful look in her eyes. He felt bad that he had to squash it, but he needed to be honest.

"No, I'm sorry Veronica, I sent him to stay with my mom is Toledo when I came back. Have you seen Betty? Is she with you?" he could finally get the answer he was looking for and rest his anxious mind. She had to be staying with Veronica, right? A puzzled look appeared on her face as it seemed the gears in her head began to turn. A second later, confusion turned to worry.

"I don't know, I haven't seen her since the day Archie left.... did you talk to her? Did you call her?" Anger replaced the sense of momentary calmness. Nobody seemed to be any help.

"How has nobody seen her! She hasn't been answering my calls, Alice and Polly left town, I thought she was with you!" he gestured with his hands, obviously stressed out.

"Wait Alice and Polly left town?" Veronica asked, her eyes widening.

"That's what my dad told me. Where would she go if it wasn't with you? She wouldn't stay with Cheryl, would she?"

At that moment, Cheryl and Toni waltzed over, hand in hand.

"Betty Cooper isn't with me, Veronica's right, nobody has seen her in days." he sighed, and rubbed his hands over his face.

"She could have fled with her mother and Polly to wherever they went. She probably left her phone behind." he was trying to come up with the most logical solution to this issue. It would make more sense that she left with her mother and sister than being lost or god forbid something worse.

"No way, if Alice and Polly left they probably went to the farm. Betty would never let herself be dragged there, or god knows what could happen." Cheryl was also right.

At that moment, Veronica's eyes widened, and she inhaled sharply, "Oh my god! Her social media has been dead, she doesn't have her phone, she's been missing for days, Alice and Polly are gone, where else could she be?!" At that moment Cheryl's eyes widened too.

"The Sisters of Quiet Mercy!" that made his blood run cold. The Sisters? If she was, that meant he left her to rot in there, alone. His own eyes were set ablaze, and he balled his fists, his telltale scowl returning to his face.

"She's at the Sisters...?" it came out like a strained whimper. Emotion, the most simple of expressions a human can show. He felt his face drop in the same way it had when Archie came to tell him to stay away from Betty all that time ago. He grabbed the beanie off his head and ran his hands through his inky black hair anxiously, dropping his bag on the floor and pacing in front of them.

"Jughead, maybe it's better if you stay behind. You're a loose canon right now and by going you could compromise this or get us all hurt. We can do it, we've done it before." Veronica had a point, but he didn't care, there was no way in hell he wouldn't be there when they broke her out.

"No, no. You are not using that as an excuse for me to stay behind and die internally over the fact that I can't rescue her. I have to help her escape a place that has haunted her for so long." there was no changing his mind. No way in hell he'd stay behind.

"Fine. Fine. We need Kevin, he can help us get in from the back," Veronica concluded. He nodded.

\----------------------------------

With a plan in place, they were currently running through Fox Forest, trying to get to the tunnel Kevin had said they went through last time. It was bitterly cold, and he couldn't feel his nose, even after only being out for fifteen minutes. Adrenaline and anxiety caused his heart to beat at a million miles an hour. Veronica and Kevin were next to eachother, him in the middle, and Cheryl and Toni at the back. Luckily, it hadn't snowed yet, so they didn't have to worry about trudging through the white blanket on the ground. Finally, the Sisters of Quiet Mercy came into view. His blood boiled at the thought of what they could possibly be doing to her. Nonetheless, he was still going to break her out of there, whatever he had to do, it didn't matter. The tunnel came into view, with a large door and a rusty roof over it. It was old, alright. 

"This is it, right?" He asked, his voice a raspy whisper.

"Yup. I'm calling the police if you guys aren't back in a half an hour," he warned, waiting outside. They all nodded and were on their way in, one of the two doors opened. Toni went to open the second and when she swung it open, there was a huge wall blocking their way in. They all skidded to a halt, paralyzed by the obstacle in their path. Was this the only way in?

"No... no, no, no, no, no, no! Damnit!" Toni hissed, smacking the doors with her hands. He was expressionless, confused, scared.

"There's another way in, right? There has to be another way in!" His tone was pleading. They all stared back at him, sad expressions appearing on their faces. 

"Wait, what if we find her room and use a ladder to climb up? It's the middle of the night, there's no way anybody could be out there. Jug, you have your switchblade right?" Cheryl asked, and he nodded, taking out his blade and handing it to her.

"Jughead, we find the ladder, and then you climb up while we guard the bottom. Then, you rescue Betty and we get the hell out of here." It was the best shot they had. 

"We need to find her room first, and find somewhere to escape after we get her."

—————————————

With a plan in place and an exit in sights, they were ready. It was nearly 2AM, as long as they were quiet nobody would be out there, now all he had to do was find her.

"She's got to be in one of these rooms, this is always where they put girls our age. As long as she didn't get locked in a solitary room, she has to be here," Cheryl commented. Her first hand experience came in handy. Thank god she was here. 

They found a ladder nearby laying on the grass and hoisted it up. It creaked and groaned as Jughead began to climb up. It was held down by Toni and Veronica while Cheryl, with Jughead's switch blade, guarded them. When he reached the window, he glanced in, looking at the girl's sleeping in the beds. He felt slightly intrusive, like he had the first day he climbed up Betty Cooper's ladder. But if these nuns weren't going to let him get in, she was going to break her out. Two brunettes were in the beds, which meant it was not Betty's room. He slid down, landing on the ground hard on his feet. He shook his head, running his hands through his hair. They tried again at the next set of windows. He looked in, seeing a blonde and a raven haired girl. The blonde looked similar to Betty, but he knew it wasn't her. 

After trying and trying every window and not seeing his girl, he was getting fed up, "What if we just storm it? They can't stop me, no matter how hard they try. You guys can just call the police, and I can search every room."

"Jughead that's not a good idea. If they do catch you, we could get in trouble for breaking and entering before the police can shut this place down. We have to keep trying," Veronica warned, sighing. He mumbled his agreement angrily, and they continued going. On the last window, as he glanced in, he noticed both beds were empty. If she was here, it had to be the room she was in. Whoever her roommate was decorated a lot and probably got quarantined herself. 

He slid down the ladder once again, shaking his head, "There was nobody in that room, besides some decorations. I think she's inside somewhere. We have to go in." 

"Go in?! Hell no! We could get caught! I'm not letting you go on some suicide mission for her. We can figure something else out." Veronica placed her hand comfortingly on his arm but he shook his head.

"No, no. This is not over. It's not ending because of some high off their ass nuns and looney kids. I'm going now. You can come with me or help our escape route. Your choice." He waited a few moments for them to process. Then he turned and started walking towards the entrance. 

"Toni, you and Veronica wait for us at the entrance to the building. When Jughead, Betty and I bust out, we have to go. I left FP's truck a mile away, yes, I took his truck. You can yell at me later but we have to escape quickly. I put it there earlier today, nobody saw." Jughead nodded, not angry.

"Okay, you two stay by the street. If they catch us you guys have to go for help." At that moment Kevin appeared again, confused.

"What's going on?" he asked, glancing around.

"The back was blocked off. We have to go in front. Wait with Toni and Veronica. Cheryl and I are going in." he turned back towards the front and began to creep forward. A few moments later, she joined him. He vaguely heard the whispers exchanged between Kevin, Toni and Veronica behind them. They neared the entrance, and he stopped to listen if anyone was stirring nearby. It was dead silent. No footsteps, no talking, no people moving around. Perfect. He warily tip-toed up the steps and opened the door. It had no alarm, considering it was illegal. Cheryl crept in after him and they hid behind the welcome desk just in case a nun came by. They had to figure out where to go next.

"Where do we go?" his whispered to Cheryl, knowing that she knew this place better than he did.

"We need to go down to the basement. She could be down there if she isn't in her room," she replied, kneeling down next to him.

"Show me the way."

They continued on, only the sound of very light pattering letting anyone know that they were there. They were still moving quite fast considering how light their footsteps were. As they neared the staircase, he realized how dark it truly was. He could not see past three steps down into the ominous basement. It sickened him to know she was probably dragged down there. Cheryl visibly shuddered beside him, obviously cringing at the remembrance of the time she spent here. He put his arm on her shoulder sympathetically before turning and beginning to head down. He slunk down quietly, and what surprised him was that the stairs didn't creak and groan like the ladder did. It seemed that they were pure cement, so he didn't have to worry about it giving them away. He was about half way down (what he thought was half way down) when an ear splitting and awfully familiar scream ripped through the air. He jumped visibly, as did Cheryl, and his heart rate leaped. 

'Oh my god' he saw Cheryl mouth to him. They were both breathing heavily and shaking. After a moment, the worst possible thought came to his mind. What if that was Betty? At the moment the plan they had in place seemed to crumble within the time he took the first leap down the stairs. He practically flew down the staircase, feet barely touching each step he went down. When he got to the bottom he looked around frantically, noticing a light coming from a cracked open door. He rushed to it, with Cheryl right behind and threw open the door to a horrible sight. Two men in white had Betty's wrists pinned to the wall. Two more nuns and the infamous Sister Woodhouse stood in front of her. Sister Woodhouse had a menacing expression on her aged face. To his shock, Ethel Muggs stared daggers into Betty's blood shot forest green eyes. She was struggling violently, her beautiful golden locks dulled with the obvious lack of energy she had. At his entrance, Ethel looked over and her eyes filled mischievously with what he could gather was pride- or love.

"Jughead, you came!" she clasped her hands together and started towards him.

"Get away from him you psycho bitch!" confusion flashed across his face, he had no idea. She continued towards him, but he stepped back.

"Stay away from me, I'm not here for you." he shoved past her and started towards Betty, but the guards obviously saw that coming and stood in front of her.

"Don't try to take her away from here, she needs to be fixed." Sister Woodhouse stood in front of them, an expressionless look on her face.

"The hell she does! Cheryl and I will burn this hell hole to the ground if you don't hand her over right now." He felt the pent up rage from every event that transpired overflowing.

At that moment Cheryl became visible, and advanced to Ethel, "stay out of the way."

Jughead had to take this opportunity to escape, but he mouthed 'Ill come back' so Cheryl could understand that he wasn't abandoning her. She flashed a look of understanding before going back to what she was previously doing, threatening everyone. He started to back away slowly, and once they were a few feet away, he broke the hug, grabbed her hand, and after a clear look of, 'run', they were bounding away. His feet carrying him at the same speed hers were carrying her. They threw open two doors and made a b-line for the stairs. She went up first and him after. The guards were on their tails, but they managed to make it up when he slammed the door shut and he could hear them tumble back at the sudden stop and cease of light. 

"Betty, go outside, Toni, Veronica and Kevin are waiting. I'm going back for Cheryl." Before she could stop him, he had slipped back into the building and was running again. It was probably one of the stupidest things he'd ever done to be going back in alone, unarmed, and in the dark. He heard Betty's stifled cry as he left, and it broke his heart. He just got her back, and now he was being stupid and risking his life again. He made a b-line for the basement and rushed down, still in the pitch black. Once he saw the light coming from the door he had burst through before with Cheryl, he was presented with Cheryl backed into a corner, and the men in white approaching her.

"Stop!" He yelled, using every bit of energy and air in his lungs.

"Get off of her, now! We're going to leave, and then we're going to call the cops, and this place is going to be shut down. Let go of her." He reached out his hand and Cheryl shoved through the nuns and walked past him.

"You better shut this place down before we do," was his last remark before they were making a break for the entrance. He threw open the doors and they finally were all together.

——————————

The only way he could ensure her safety was in his trailer. There was no way in hell he'd let her step foot in her house after everything she went through. Memories of the car ride in FP's run down truck haunted his brain. The moment the adrenaline had dissipated was when the walls came crashing down. Toni and Cheryl sat in the front, while Kevin and Veronica sat in the truck bed to let Betty and Jughead sit in the back. At first Betty had seemed fine, despite Jughead's feeble attempts to comfort her, but eventually it all came crashing down. He noticed her knuckles becoming increasingly white, indicating that she was digging her nails deep into her palms, drawing scarlet blood. He instinctively reached out his shaking hands to uncurl her fingers, but they were shut tight. Her gaze was fixed out the window, and he feared she wasn't even conscious for a moment. He brought his finger up to her chin to angle her head towards him. She jumped at the touch, despite the fingers of his opposite hand resting on hers.

"Are you okay?" he whispered, his gaze falling, revealing a vulnerability he only had for her. She didn't even seem to recognize him. He realized she had barely spoken since he had rescued her, which worried him.

"Betts?" he whispered again, staring straight into her forest green eyes. She was staring back at him, but there seemed to be an emptiness there that he had never ever seen before. Not towards him. At that moment, she snapped back to attention.

"What?" she asked, and her fingers opened up. Thank god there hadn't been much blood, but it seemed she hadn't even heard what he had been saying.

"Are you okay?" he asked again. It seems as if the horror of what truly happened in that place finally hit her. Her breaths started to quicken, and tears stung her eyes. Finally, full on sobs. He sighed shakily, and brought her head to his chest. He breathed in the still sweet scent of her golden hair as she cried into his chest. He knew Betty was strong, but he remembered her weakness at the prospect of Polly being trapped in the Sisters when they had first gotten together. She had been so terrified that she would get locked in there, but he had been there to hold her hands and slow her breathing. Now, he had run off with his best friend, and although he had done it to protect Archie, Betty had been exposed to her worst possible fear, right in front of his eyes. It chilled him to the bone. He hated himself for leaving her, but he knew she was strong. Strong enough to take down a serial killer, however, did not mean strong enough to endure her greatest fear, alone. Whenever they had to do something he knew she hated, she always leaned on him, and he was always her support. When she found out her dad was a serial killer, she had cried into his arms for so long. Even though he had been strapped to medical machines and in a coma, he could hear her talking about everything to him. She held her hand in his. He did the same for her. Even before they were together, the day his mother took his sister and left, he had been wandering around Riverdale's streets when she found him. She had snuck out too, wanting to get away from the monsters that were her parents, but it was his turn to cry that night. He cried into her arms until he fell asleep. He always remembers that with fond memories. Now it was her turn, to cry and cry into his chest. He still felt a gnawing guilt on the inside, but his thoughts were too preoccupied with his girlfriend to worry about that.

When Cheryl and Toni finally dropped them off at his trailer, she was asleep. Finally, she could be at peace, for just a little while before the demons crept back in in the morning. He had placed her down onto her bed after carrying her in bridal style. He figured she could change in the morning and left her in the clothes she had been at the Sisters. He had packed a backpack and left it at his trailer so when she came back she had some of her belongings to help her survive. FP had skipped town a week prior for unknown reasons, so they had the trailer to themselves. He covered her with his blanket, and then changed into cleaner clothes. His eyelids were heavy, and sleep clawed at his mind, but right before he fell asleep, he brushed her beautiful curls out of her face and kissed her forehead. It had been too long since he did that. Then, he wrapped himself around her and fell asleep, seeming to be finally at peace. And even though she had woken up multiple times screaming, he had been there to soothe her back to sleep. He would make sure heads rolled if it was the last thing he did. But for now, she was safe, and home, just like she always should have been.


	5. Golden Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the seconds when the bullet erupted from the barrel of the gun and passed through her abdomen were the seconds that his heart broke, his eyes widened, and his small world, his small, loving, loved world, fell.

"Don't you wonder when the  
light begins to fade?"

 

It should have been him. He should have taken the gunshot to the abdomen. He should have felt that pain, saw his own blood pouring from the hole in his body. He should have been fading in and out of consciousness. He should have been in that bed, hooked up to those tubes, barely holding onto life. It should have been his beautiful girlfriend crying on his arm, wishing he would wake up. But no, here he was, his forehead against her arm, salty, exhausted, drained tears seeping from his eyes. He had been crying for hours. He didn't even know what day it was anymore. She had been shot only two days before, and his world had already fallen clean off its axis in a matter of seconds. In the seconds when the bullet erupted from the barrel of the gun and passed through her abdomen were the seconds that his heart broke, his eyes widened, and his small world, his small, loving, loved world, fell. 

 

"And the clock just makes the  
color turn to grey?"

 

They were on the run from the Ghoulies. They wanted blood, and he knew that, but he never expected Penny Peabody to use guns, and use guns to go after his girlfriend. So they were on the run, their feet stampeding across the ground as they tried to make it into the woods. They made it as far as to the edge of Fox Forest. A bang rang out and then he heart a grunt, and she was on the ground, dazed, confused, lifeless. In only minutes was he throwing open the doors to Riverdale general just like Archie had when his father was shot, and just like Sweet Pea had when Fangs was shot. Like a vicious cycle, the Riverdale Reaper was on it's way. She was whisked away, and here he was, hours later, at her side, crying, scared- terrified. The door opened, and he turned to his head to see Veronica and Archie walking in. They had been there earlier, so they weren't rushing to her side, or shocked. They had their time with her before he tore through the crowd and shoved everyone out.

“Jug, you should go home,” came Archie’s words. He knew he should have, but if he dared speedster from her for a minute, he would lose it.

“And do what? If she dies in that time-... no I’m not going home.” He couldn’t even bare the thought that she would die while he was taking a shower. He would be right beside her, to the end. It was his fault that she was here. He pulled himself to the ground so his back was leaning against the bed she was laying in, and his gaze rested on the ground. 

“Jughead, she’s strong. She won’t give up on you, not on any of us. They said she was stable, and that the coma was medically induced, so they can wake her up when her body heals. Go home and shower, get some rest, eat some food. Take care of yourself.” She was right. He was exhausted, though he knew he couldn’t sleep, hungry, and dirty. 

“I can’t leave her. I’m not giving up on her,” He choked out, feeling his eyes sting with the prospect of more tears. There weren’t many things that made him cry over the years. His father yelling at him, his mother leaving him, and possibly over the pained breakup he had with Betty a few months ago, but he never cried. He shoved his emotions away and became numb. That was his specialty. But when Betty had to break up with him because of a serial killer, he cried. He cried for hours, not knowing why he wasn’t good enough for her. He didn’t know that she was forced to, but either way it hurt, so bad. He didn’t sleep for days, and when he finally came back to school, he felt dead inside. The tsunami of relief that flooded his senses when she ran into his arms, wrapped her legs around his torso and smashed her lips into his nearly knocked him over. And they didn’t let go of each other, ever. 

Now, it feels like he did. For just one second, and the bullet flew through her. The only reason he knew he was still conscious was because Veronica came down and pulled him into a hug. That was when sobs started bombarding him. The choked cries, streams of tears, shaky, pained breaths. Veronica just kept her arms around him while he cried on her shoulder. He felt like a child, but he couldn’t bring himself to figure out how to compose himself. Betty always did that. And now, it looked like Betty was dead. 

 

"Time can never break your heart, but it’ll take the pain away,"

 

It wasn’t pain anymore. It was numbness. A cold, unfeeling numbness that he felt from his heart to his head. The colors dulled, the sounds became fuzzy, the people were blurs and the work was a world away. He hadn’t even dared step into the Blue and Gold. He avoided it, just like Veronica, Archie, Kevin, and Cheryl. Maybe for them it was because of him, but they knew for him it was because of her. So, as the days ticked by since he was forced to return to school, he continued drifting. Half of the time he wasn’t even paying attention. He was in a daydream that no one dared to strip him out of. 

So on that Monday morning, where rain fell in sheets, clouds smothered his heart, and fog forced his gaze down, he was walking through the halls when he saw that the Blue and Gold doors were open. He couldn’t even bring himself to feel excitement. He couldn’t let his hopes be raised. His headphones were over his head, so all he heard was the blasting music to help him block out his black and white life. He looked through the doorway, but the room was empty of people. Someone probably went in there to clean up, or clear up her stuff now that she was dead. He dropped his bag on a chair and took off his headphones to be brought back to a chilling silence. The mundane noises of like around him were basically white noise at this point, but he didn’t care. He had been walking down the hall when an angelic laugh traveled through his ears, clearing the fog and widening his eyes further then they had been in weeks. 

 

“Right now our future's certain  
I won't let it fade away.”

 

His gaze snapped up and he whipped around to see Betty, Betty Cooper, alive, and looking right at him. She was right outside of the Blue and Gold office. She had probably seen his bag and went to find him. He was rushing towards her before his brain could even process it. She had slipped into the Blue and Gold by the time he had reached her, but he took not a second until she was wrapped in his embrace, crying, laughing. He backed her against the cabinets, it wasn’t intimate, it was just his overwhelming expression of happiness that she was still breathing, and she was still alive.

“Oh my god...” he whimpered between quick huffs of air. He could barely breathe, but he didn’t care. She was happy to let him hug her, and thank god her bullet wound had healed enough so that he could be berating her with kisses at the moment. When Fangs and Fred Andrews were shot, they were on bedrest for weeks. Her coma had helped her heal in only a few. 

“I’m so sorry.. this was all my fault.. I’m so sorry..” he kept repeating, not being able to conjure up any other words. She pulled her face away from his.

“Jug, it wasn’t your fault, you know that right?” She asked, but he shook his head.

“I got you into that stupid gang war and you almost died.” He was now resting his head in the crook on her neck. His breathing was still quick, but he had calmed down. It seemed that the color, the sound, the emotions had all come back, all at once. She sat down on the floor and he joined her, resting his head in her lap. 

“I love you so much,” he whispered, wiping the tear from his cheek. She giggled.

“You looked like a puppy, like a lost puppy when you came to me. I love you too, Jug.” He smiled at that. His first real smile in weeks. 

“Can’t help it if this puppy is in love with an angel.” She smacked his chest, and then he sat up to kiss her. He would ensure that she was never put through this much pain again. That was his promise to her.

 

“Golden Days  
Golden Days  
Golden Days.”

 

—  
Golden Days by Panic at the Disco  
—

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just randomly got the idea from listening to Golden Days by Panic at the Disco, I hope you like it! Sorry if it’s messy, I’m tired and sick as I write this. Thanks so much for reading!


	6. I Need A Place To Stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He needed a place to stay. The janitor was not forgiving, and neither were the beer bottles his father had thrown at him. Only the Hitchcock blonde, asleep soundly, could be of help now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The relationship is based off of where they are in 1x10, it has no correlation to the birthday party.

He had been pacing the streets of Riverdale all night. Time after time he rounded every corner and walked every street. His hand always ran through his hair, shaky breaths escaped his lungs, and his eyes darted around. He was a mess. And the only person who didn't think he was a mess, or would help him out of his mess, was asleep. Sleeping soundly in a perfectly pink bed with pink blankets and a pink pillow, surrounded by pink walls. The perfect girl next door. She hated that word and he knew it, but right now no better words came to mind. The girl next door, was also his girlfriend. And his girlfriend had no idea he was homeless, and lived in a closet after the Twilight Drive in was shut down. But when he decided to give his trailer a chance, he was almost smacked in the head by a flying beer bottle and hit by his angry, and drunk, father. So here he was, pacing the streets of Riverdale in his broody, emo Jughead style, alone, anxious, scared. He couldn't go back to the closet, after the janitor caught him today. So now, items on his back in a backpack, a small sleeping bag tucked under his arm, and an exhausted look, he trudged up to Betty Cooper's window. 

He recalled the first time he ever climbed up that ladder, and he remembered he was nervous as hell. With shaky hands, dry mouth, and fidgety composure, he had climbed up the ladder and smashed his lips into hers. It was their first kiss, and it felt like ages ago, though it was only a few months ago. He pushed the thought away and clipped his sleeping back to his backpack to have two free hands. He looked up briefly, when he realized that Betty's light was on. She was awake. The thought made his heart soar, but he quickly shot it down and began to the climb up to her window. Thirty seconds later, he was there. The curtains were drawn, unfortunately, so if her mother was grilling her, this really wouldn't help, but he couldn't wait forever. It seemed quiet in the room, as he couldn't hear any voices or audible footsteps. It was two in the morning, and he thought she would be the last one to stay up this late.

He brought his hand up to tap on the window, but froze. What if she rejected him? What if she sent him away? What if her mother found out? Thoughts came bubbling from his racing mind as his frozen hand stood inches from the super clean glass, ready to knock. He inhaled quietly, and tapped. Lightly, and twice, his fingers rapped against the glass. He decided to take the backpack off as to not seem totally homeless and gross. He hung it on his arm as he heard light footsteps growing closer. After a moment, the curtains revealed the beautiful girl he so admired. Adorned in silky pink pajamas, purely Betty Cooper, her signature ponytail was replaced with wavy honey curls that hung at her shoulders. A smile immediately appeared on her face, one he loved. 

"What are you doing here? It's 2 AM, Jug," she whispered angelically and stepped back, allowing him to enter her room. When he moved to come in, that's when she noticed his backpack. Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn't say anything. He shoved it in first, and then climbed through, feeling awkward and like an intruder. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come so late, but I had nowhere else to go. I can go if you want me to, I should-" he turned for a moment, presuming she's just let him go. He knew Betty Cooper, but not well enough. She reached out and turned him around to face her. She was met with an anxious, messy boy with inky locks and a normally crooked, yet beautiful smile. It was not showing now, however.

"Jug, what's with the bag? Are you leaving?" She asked, her smile fading to concern. 

"I...." he paused, "I need a place to stay." He held his breath, and just waited. Waited silently for her to laugh and throw him out or for her mother to burst in and yell at him, or for the world to just melt away into black. None of his predictions came true, however, and he was met with a puzzled look from his favorite blonde. 

"What do you mean? What about with your dad?" She asked, taking a step closer. Sympathy and concern flooded her eyes, making his heart flip in his chest. Sympathy and concern from Betty Cooper? For him? He might as well have been dead. 

"I.... I can't. It's a long story, Betty, but I can't stay with my dad right now. Could I stay here? If not it's fine, I was just wondering," He stammered, his gaze avoiding hers. She brought her hands up to cup his cheeks, taking a few steps closer. 

"Of course you can stay here, Juggie. I just have to go talk to my mom first-" that set his anxiety over the edge.

"No! No, don't tell your mom. She'll rat me out and I'll have to go back home. I can’t go back home." He was practically begging her, and it felt stupid, but it was too late to back out now.

"I’ll ask my mother to stay out of my room tonight because I'm studying. I'm not stupid, she'd kick you out and then make an apple pie. I'll be right back, put your bag in the closet and be quiet." She slipped out of her room and shut the door quietly before he heard her retreating footsteps pad down the hall. 

He opened the closet like instructed and put his backpack down, making sure not to drop it or let it thump loudly like it normally did. After, he quickly got changed into a shirt, his signature 'S' shirt, and shorts. He began to walk slowly around her room, studying the pictures that were scattered around and the occasional memory. He didn't get the chance to look around the last time he had been in her room since his palms were sweaty and his mind was swirling with every desire he had ever felt to kiss the beautiful girl who stood in front of him. He had gone for it, after all, and it was the best thing he had ever felt. His hands had cupped the back of her jaw, and grazed her honey colored hair. His eyes shut and his lips enveloped her sweet, strawberry taste. The lipstick she had worn, he presumed. But she smelled of sweet berries, and he loved it. 

He stopped at a row of pictures. The first frame was her and Archie when they were seven, eating ice cream together. They were smiling happily, since every burden they would ever feel hadn't hit them yet. The next was one of her and Veronica, shopping together at the mall. They also had happy smiles on their faces, but this was recent considering Veronica had just moved to Riverdale at the start of the school year. The third picture was another of her and Archie at the middle school dance. Hand in hand, dressed beautifully, as if they were a couple. That thought sickened him, reminding him of the anxiety that was placed at the back of his mind 24/7. What if she left him for Archie? He knew he wasn't worth everything she had given him, but he couldn't change it, not even if he wanted to. He was head over heels for this girl, and he only could hope that she even felt close to the same for him. Another thought struck him. Archie invited me to go. He turned down seeing the beautiful blonde for a night of solitude. He remembered how he had spent it. Locked in his room with a stack of comic books and a bag of chips, his dinner, sat the thirteen year old boy, when this beautiful girl with honey colored curls and glistening forest eyes was pining after an oblivious and stupid redhead. He jerked his thoughts away from the darkness that was threatening to envelope him, and stepped a few inches to the right. 

His eyes landed on the most beautiful picture of all. Them, together, on the couch of the Blue and Gold, cuddled up, asleep. He laid on his back, his signature beanie missing, showing the inky curls that lay beneath. She was curled up on his chest, her head laying on him and her hand intertwined with his. Her body was curled up and pressed against his. He didn't know this picture existed, since he had spent the night before writing and was exhausted when he came to school. So, in Betty Cooper fashion, she dragged him into the office and when he plopped down on the couch, rubbing his eyes, she curled up right on top of him and closed her eyes, willing him to do the same. So they slept, together, for hours, cuddled up together. He swore he felt his heart leap out of his chest when she laid down right on top of him. He couldn't help the vulnerable smile that escaped his lips when he thought about it. They curled upward, showing the crooked smile he knew Betty loved so much.

"What are you doing?" He jumped when he heard her curious voice.

"Jesus, you scared me!" He whispered, still smiling. 

"What are you looking at?" She asked, coming up behind him and laying eyes on his new favorite picture of them.

"I didn't even know that existed," he commented, his smile fading to reveal an awkward level expression.

"I thought you'd hate it, so I never told you. It's my favorite picture," she smiled, laying her head on his shoulder.

"It's my favorite too. Anyway, did you manage to keep the beast at bay?" He asked, changing the subject from the sappy place they’d left it at.

"Yeah, she thinks I'm studying for a big test with Veronica, so she'll stay out of my room. 'Anything for school', she says. Did you organize your stuff?" She asked, turning around towards her closet.

"No, you don't have to, Betts. I can just keep it in my bag until I find the next place to crash at," he shrugged, knowing deep down she wasn't going to agree with what he said.

"Uh, no you're not, because I'm not letting you become homeless when I have a perfectly good, and welcoming home for you to stay at. Screw my mom, I'm not letting my boyfriend live on the streets." The determination in her voice and use of the word 'boyfriend' made his heart flutter, but he shoved the feeling down and focused on the conversation at hand.

"I don't want to impose. I'm a boy who eats like crazy and I'm not exactly up to your mom's standards." He had to be honest, he didn't quite see living with the Coopers as something longterm.

"I'm going to damn well make sure you have a welcoming place to stay, and that's final. So, let me organize your clothes instead of leaving them in the closet." He sighed, knowing this conversation was over. He couldn't be happier to have a home, but it would be an odd one to live in. 

After she had finished organizing his clothes, they had cuddled up in her bed after a long hour and a half between him knocking on her window to putting his clothes in extra drawers. She had once again curled up into his side, laying her head on his chest and was fast asleep. He stared up at the ceiling. He felt a guilt gnawing at him for barging in on his girlfriend and now staying with her, but he knew that even if they were friends, she would have let him stay anyway. She had a kind heart, he had always known that. Oh how different was that day when he first kissed her. Things were different, but now they were better.

He had a home, with a girl that he loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit old, but I read it over and hopefully fixed it. I hope you like it!


	7. You Scared Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He was crazy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This includes some of my own predictions for what could happen in 3x05 with Jughead. I'm purely writing on what we know, before 3x05 airs. If I am incorrect, I apologize, but this is for entertainment purposes.

"Jug?" Came her gasp. Betty Cooper stood in the dangerous bunker previously belonging to Dilton Doiley, now deceased, and currently, her and Jughead's secret sex bunker. Cheryl, Sweet Pea, Fangs, and Toni all sat around her boyfriend, in the midst of a clearly intense game of Griffins and Gargoyles, or 'G&G'. They all looked up, including Jughead, who abruptly stood up.

"Betty, it's all making sense, it's all becoming clear... I'm a level three, and it's only a matter of time before I ascend.... and I get to meet him." Those words alone were enough to send chills down her spine. Her mother had just told her the dark past of the game, and here he was, getting sucked up into it. It made her sick, after the death of principle Featherhead, Dilton, Ben, and almost Ethel, that he'd sit here and risk his life for some brainwashed conclusion. To ascend. It set her over the edge. 

"Jughead, what the hell are you doing?! What the hell are you talking about?!" She took a few steps closer, now in front of the group. Everyone else remained quiet. 

"Just like Dilton, and Ben and Ethel. I can ascend, or try to. I can meet the Gargoyle King. Trust me, I can help you too," he held out his hand, as to entice her to play along with him.

"Jughead, no! This is exactly what happened to Dilton and Ben! They got sucked in and they died! Both of them! All of you, go home, now. Jughead, come with me." She grabbed his hand and led him around the table so they could leave. He grunted in protest, but continued along anyway. He climbed up, and then Betty took one last look at the nightmare. Everyone was quickly cleaning up, in silence. That was rare. Usually Cheryl and Toni would be chattering away 24/7, but even the redhead was silent. 

She climbed up the ladder as a million thoughts raced through her head. Her mother's confession put things into perspective, now helping her realize how dangerous this game was. But her boyfriend got sucked in before she could even explain the whole story she had just learned. As she padded up behind the mumbling boy, he seemed to be so lost in thought that he jumped when she placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Jug? Are you okay?" She asked as he turned to face her. It seemed as if there was nothing but distraction in his usually deep marine colored eyes. They were virtually empty.

"I should have finished the game, Betty. I need to ascend, o-or keep working my way up to it." He kept mumbling, rambling about the stupid game. It was as if she wasn't even there.

"Jughead, please focus on me. Not the stupid game," she cupped her hands on his face, forcing his eyes to connect with her. And then she smashed her lips against his, trying to bring back any Jughead she could. Any at all. The game, however, had a stronger hold on him than she ever thought possible. He pushed himself away, ripping her heart out. He backed away from her, still mumbling to himself, absent from what was really going on.

"Fine, you don't want to come back? You can stay in your head, but you are not going back down there. Let's go." She grabbed his arm, and pulled herself close to him. Then, in Betty Cooper style, she set off towards home, or, her second home. All the while, a dazed Jughead stumbled along, still in an obvious trance.

Once safely in his trailer under careful watch of FP, Betty had finally made her way back to her house, and was tossing and turning. The thought of Jughead possibly dying because of a stupid board game terrified her, but she had enough trust in FP to keep him safe, or at least at home. The story her mother had told her also stirred in her thoughts, answering many questions she had pondered over her mother's past, and even FP's past. Normally, when she felt scared or anxious, she'd text Jughead, but tonight he was probably distracted and most likely sleeping. She had to face this battle on her own.

The morning finally swooped in, sweeping the night away for a handful of hours. Betty, being tired and anxious still, trudged into her kitchen to get breakfast. She vowed to keep her eyes peeled to see if he was acting strange, or not in school. A knock at the door sent her heart racing. She placed her bowl on the table quickly before calling to her mother,

"I'll get it!" She was at the door in seconds, and flung it open. To her disappointment, it was Veronica Lodge at the door, instead of her beanie clad, inky haired boyfriend. Her expression dropped, and she sighed.

"Well, hello to you too, Betty." 

"Sorry, V. Long story, I'll explain on the way to school." She grabbed her backpack and was out the door in seconds.

After a long explanation of the sight she walked into yesterday in the bunker, and Alice's story, Veronica was as speechless as she was.

"I'm sorry, B, I'd feel the same way if I was you. But he's Jughead, nothing will come in the way of the investigation, not even some dangerous game that kills people. He'll make his way back to you. For now, we need to worry about the crap our parents did in that crazy "Midnight Club"." Veronica had a point.

"Our parents played the game and it almost killed them. But the Gargoyle King was there back then, which means it could be the same person now. Or someone related to it?" Betty already tossed around theories, having no one to confide in until now.

"We have to think, who would want to suck innocent people into a death driven game with chalices???" Veronica asked, to no one in particular. 

"Hiram was there for both killings, but nobody actually saw him."

"But why would he kill principle Featherhead?" Betty started jotting down notes.

"I bet if you asked him he could tell you his side of the story. Start to fit the puzzle pieces together. Get everyone to ask their parents for their side of the story, and we could all compare sides!" Betty clasped her hands together, a smart idea popping into her inquisitive brain. 

"Good idea, B! I'll tell everyone else, you just focus on finding her raven haired stallion." At that moment, they walked into Riverdale High School, and Betty rolled her eyes.

"Got to go. I'll see you later, thanks for the help!" She spun on her heel and slipped into the Blue and Gold, hoping that Jughead would be back to normal, eating a snack they could share, or reading a book before class. Instead, she was met with an empty room. His beautiful type-writer she had given him sat on his desk, all prepped for use. He always left it that way before they left. His snack stash cabinet was shut, so she decided to grab a bag of his favorite snack for a makeshift breakfast. She would earn a bear hug for it later, knowing he always hated people in his stash, except her. 

The day dragged by slowly, each class feeling like a million years. They had English and Biology together, Biology happening to be first. He was always on time, and came right before the bell. They would walk together if they came from the same part of the building, but they didn't. If she was as late as him, he'd usually steal her away in a corner and kiss her briefly before they arrived to class. More often, she started arriving closer to the bell. But today, she was promptly there a minute before the bell, as usual. She sat down in her lab seat, next to Veronica. They had been assigned together, otherwise she would have been with Jughead. 

"Did you see Jughead yet?" Veronica asked, sitting down and dropping her bag on the floor but keeping her purse in her hand.

"No, I didn't. I usually see him now, and he always walks in the door in 3... 2... 1..." she turned her head around, expecting the broody boy to waltz in, his eyes always landed on hers if she was early. But not today. The doorway was empty, which caused anxiety to flare in the pit of her stomach. 

"He's not here, V. Of course he's not here, why wouldn't it just be a normal day?" She sighed, and put her head in her hands. 

"He might just be late, or his dad might have kept him home to keep him safe." This caused Betty to jolt up, her eyes darting to Veronica's.

"No, FP has to work today, Pop called him in a week ago because there's a party at Pop's... which means..." she stood up abruptly, raising her hand.

"Can I use the bathroom?" She asked, and when the teacher nodded, she bolted out of the classroom in seconds, bag in hand. She raced down the hallway, one destination in mind. She threw open the main doors, and jumped down the last two stairs of the main entrance before running down the street, huffing out breaths.

Cars whizzed by as she turned the street and headed into Fox Forest, feet pounding on the earth as she bounded along, closer to her destination. Once the bunker was in sight, she slowed down, gulping in breaths and bending over to catch her breath. If FP was gone, he would no doubt be back at the bunker, possibly playing that stupid game. She opened the door and looked down.

"Jug?!" She called, frantically. With no response, she descended into the bunker. It was dark, but the light filtering from above gave her enough vision to look around. It was empty. She looked everywhere, even under the bed where the lost scout had been weeks ago, but it was empty. That made her even more nervous. What if he was laying in a ditch with blue lips somewhere? She climbed quickly back up, and decided to head to the next best source. The town was dead, with fog curling around every corner, smothering the normal radiant light that covered every street. It reminded her of the morning she made a break for Nick's room at the Four Seasons to see if the Black Hood had already killed him. The graveyard appeared on her right as she walked briskly along, heading towards what would normally be her safe place, but today was just for information. 

The familiar bell of Pop's Chocklit' Shop rung loudly, signifying her entrance. Her eyes scanned the room until they landed on a familiar pair, and she hurtled over to the stools and table stretching halfway across the diner. 

"Where is Jughead? He wasn't at school, and I was afraid he was at the bunker, but I checked and he wasn't there and I knew you had to work today so I came here to ask where the hell is he?" She puffed out the last of her breath and began heaving in the next. She felt like passing or after all the running, worrying and talking she had been doing. 

"He's at home. I didn't feel safe sending him to school today, so he's locked up. I made sure he was safe, but I want you to visit him. Here's the keys," he tossed her his house keys, "and snap him out of whatever trance this stupid game has put him in. Do not let him out of the house, not if he's still acting weird. Mumbling all night. Be safe," he turned around and returned to his work, which she realized was very busy. It took her a moment to digest all of the information FP had told her about Jughead's state, but she was out the door in seconds. She wished she could drive, because all of this walking had knocked every ounce of energy she had, and the snack she ate provided. 

Finally, she turned the corner and entered a familiar area: Sunnyside Trailer Park. As she approached the trailer, she realized the curtains were drawn, and in fact that the door was locked. Mentally stable Jughead would be fuming, but that boy was not present the last time she saw him. She approached the door, and stopped for a second. It was silent, which may or may not be good. She shoved the key in the lock, and opened the door, entering a room of almost complete darkness. Some light radiated from the curtains, but it wasn't enough to provide Betty with enough to see, so she opened one quietly. She found Jughead lying on the couch, with something that made her heart drop. Blue lips. 

Before she knew it, she rushed over to him and shook him, fearing he was already gone. He jolted awake, his eyes flyew open and he gasped in surprise.

"Jug! Oh my god what is wrong with you?! Why would you play the game again after almost dying last time?!" She was still shaking him as she yelled, probably unnecessary but it felt as if she could shake the insanity out of his now screwed up head. 

"What the hell are you talking about?!" He snapped, and sat up as he shoved her off. She flinched, stepping back but not faltering for more than a second.

"Your lips, Jug! I thought you were dead!" She waved her hands wildly, pointing to his mouth. 

"I didn't eat all night so my dad gave me a lollipop for sugar, and it was blue! I didn't drink the fresh-aid and I didn't play the game since I was locked up in the trailer all night after you handed me over to my dad!" His pent up anger was obviously being released in his remarks, as he fists had clenched and his arms were folded over his chest. 

"Well after yesterday's fiasco anything was possible. I didn't know, so I ran all around town looking for you and I'm so getting detention," the realization hit her like a truck. She had been gone for an hour at least, after her extensive searches led her to nothing until now. 

"Betty, why were you looking for me all over town? Why didn't you text me?" He asked, his expression softening. He unclenched his fists but still kept his arms crossed. 

"Because you went crazy after playing the game, Jug. You were mumbling to yourself, trying ascend, you pushed me away when I tried to help you," she looked visibly hurt on that one, "and I knew you probably had to cool down all night after yesterday, so I didn't say anything. And when I didn't see you in class today and knew FP had to work, I bolted. I thought you died, like Dilton, or Ben, or principle Featherhead." She huffed out a breath and dropped her hands to her sides. Then she turned around and rubbed her hands over her hair. 

"Who?" He asked, furrowing his brows.

"Right. Long story. All that matters now is that you're alive, you're safe, and you are never going near that game again. I will make sure of it. And after the story I tell you, you won't want to. But I can tell right now you look exhausted, so sit down." She brought her hand up to his right shoulder, but instead of sitting down, he grabbed her waist and lifted her up so her legs curled around his waist and their faces were inches apart. 

"I'm not too tired to notice that you stole my snacks! And for that, you are being punished." His ever familiar smirk reappeared on his face, melting away every other emotion she possessed besides love.

"How so?" She countered playfully, poking a finger on his chest and moving her head away a few inches. And at that, he brought her close and squeezed her tight, earning a squeal from a not-so-surprised Betty. He stepped back and plopped them down on the worn out sofa, leaning back to let Betty snuggle close against his chest. 

"I'm sorry I scared you, Betts. I won't ever do that again," he whispered against her hair.

"That's what you said after the Ghoulies," she chuckled, "but thank you Juggie. I was up all night tossing and turning, I was so nervous." She inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of cigarettes and his cologne. 

"Me too, I kept having these nightmares of the Gargoyle King and I don't remember anything from yesterday, but I'm back, and I'm not going anywhere, okay?" 

"Okay." She smiled into his shirt before he brought her chin up to his with a finger and finished it all with a kiss. A meaningful, reassuring, beautiful kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked it! It’s kind of old, but I tried my best.


	8. Favorite Record

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jughead was lost in though, battling with himself, and his feelings. Betty was singing Mr. Brightside through the speakers of FP’s old beat up truck. 
> 
> “And I confessed, confessed to you riding shotgun, underneath the purple skies.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like this!
> 
> The song is Favorote Record by Fall Out Boy.

———-  
"Do you do, do you remember  
When we drove, we drove, drove through the night"

———-

A cool summer breeze accompanied a humid night in the middle of July. The sky resembled a portrait, with orange, pink, purple, and blue brush strokes on display for the desolate town of Riverdale to see. The sun had set a while before now, which left a comfortable glow that Betty and Jughead admired. The raven haired boy had brought along his camera, often snapping pictures of the darkening sky, before the sunset left behind minute amounts of light for the teenagers to gaze up at. At the moment, Betty's eyes were focused on the road ahead of her, since she was driving. Jughead, on the other hand, was sweating like crazy. He kept rubbing his clammy palms on his jeans. Even though it was the dead of summer, his signature style, including the beanie, adorned his toned body. Mr. Brightside blasted through FP's old truck's beat up speakers. Betty was singing along loudly, while Jughead opted to place an adorable lopsided grin on his face, only reserved for her. For his Beloved. It was a cheesy sentiment, but Beloved was her favorite novel and he knew he was the only one who knew that. It was his little secret. His breath had been coming out in quick huffs, but the blast of the music drowned it out. He was a ball of nerves, too preoccupied by the girl sitting next to him to bother trying to calm himself down. She was the reason he was a ball of nerves. 

Eventually, when the sky had darkened, leaving less light to see in, she had pulled over, into a small dirt patch. It could only fit about two cars in it, but luckily for them, they were the only ones there. She cut the engine and the music stopped. She sighed happily, breathing in a huge breath of refreshingly fresh air.

"It's so beautiful out here, isn't it?" she sighed, her ever famous gorgeous smile appearing on her face. Her normally ponytail-styled-hair was let down, and her sun ray golden curls lay at her shoulders. She looked as beautiful as she usually did, and the sun rays reflecting on her soft skin made her look like a painting. He pulled out his camera, and faced the lens towards her, to take a picture.

"Jug, no, I look gross," she giggled, putting up a hand to block his view of taking a good picture.

"Betts, you look fine, just one, please?" he asked, jutting out his bottom lip into a pout. She never resisted his pout. They were best friends, after all, at least that's what he thought that she thought that they were. He loved her, so much, but the words had never left his cage of a brain. She was simply his best friend. Her Archie faze had ended months ago, and now she was simply content with being single. The thought of her ending up with someone else made his stomach roll. So, he made a pact with himself to make tonight the night that he told her. Even if she rejected him, he could get the sickening feeling coiling around his insides go away. They would still be best friends, right? What if she stopped being friends with him? What if she laughed at him? What if she told Archie and he beat him up? What if- - 

He had to get his brain back in order. He outwardly shook his head, as to get rid of the threatening thoughts like sharks in his brain. 

 

"Whatcha thinking about?" Betty asked. It ripped him from his brooding, abruptly, and he shot his head up.

"Hm?" he asked, unaware of what she said.

"What are you thinking about? You've been brooding," she chuckled. She unintentionally saw right through him, and that scared him. He swallowed thickly, trying to muster up the courage to just say what he wanted to yell. He wanted to yell that he loved her, but his cage kept his raging emotions contained. 

———-

"And I confessed, confessed to you   
Riding shotgun, underneath, the purple skies" 

———-

Before he could answer, her phone ringing spared him of his spinning head. She pulled out her phone and opened the truck door. 

"I'll be right back, it's Veronica. Sit tight." Her bright smile returned to her face as she hopped out, and then was out of earshot. He opened his door and stepped out of the truck. He paced around, breathing in and out, trying to calm himself down. He tugged off his beanie and began to run his hands through his raven colored locks, nervously. Just tell her. The worst she can say is no. It's been six years, Jug. You have to tell her eventually. You know she's way too good for you, but maybe if you beg her she'll take you. His pep talk had calmed his nerves only slightly, but also took him to another world. He had completely forgotten where he was, who he was with, and that she was now sitting next to him, looking at him.

"Jug," she spoke, probably for the third time. His mind, which was racing, came to a screeching halt as he was jerked back into reality. He jumped at hearing his name, even though she had said a few times prior to his dawning back to the present. 

"Are you okay? You've been distant..." she commented. Fuck, she saw right through him, again. He stuttered, choking on the words that tried to tumble out of his nervous mouth.

"Uh- - yeah, I'm okay. Sorry, just deep in thought." He chuckled lightly, trying to keep her prying mind out of his apparently transparent one. 

"You sure? You've been off all night. Is there something worrying you?" she asked, clearly not giving up. He loved that about her too. Her persistence. She was always determined to work things out, and cared so much about everyone. He hated that right now, because all he wanted to do was open the passenger door and make a break for it the second his feet down. His insides coiled, like they were being constricted. Nervous butterflies, he supposed. He swallowed, finally realizing that this was the moment he had to do it. It was now or never. His heart rate began to skyrocket, and his eyes widened. 

———-

 "And we danced, we danced  
With windows down, and we danced, we danced" 

———-

 

"I was never one for words," he began nervously, "but I'm just gonna say this." He breathed in until his lungs hurt.

"Jug, what is it? You're scaring me." He suddenly opened the passenger side door, seemingly ignoring her her concerned words. He took a deep breath, and turned around to face her. She opened her door and got out, walking over to him.

"Juggie... what is it? What's going on?" she asked again, bringing her hands up to cup his cheeks. He held her gaze for a moment, silently. Then, he broke away from her and looked out into the field. 

 

"Six years ago," he started, still resting his gaze on the field, "six years ago, I walked into Mrs. Johnson's fifth grade homeroom, and I was greeted with this inquisitive pair of forest green eyes. They belonged to a girl with a bouncy ponytail and the largest heart of anyone I've ever seen. With my crowned beanie atop my head, I entered that room, and my life changed forever. Those green eyes never left my mind, not once. And for the next-" he gazed down at his watch in a metaphoric manor, "six years, I fell in love with those green eyes. I fell in love with the bouncy blonde ponytail, and the intelligent brain under it. I fell in love with a gentle, yet confident, shy, yet always noticeable investigator. And it took me six years to realize that I can't handle the idea of that girl being with anyone else besides me. Because I love you too damn much to be able to let you go. So I ask you, in front of the strawberry colored meadow, to consider having me as your boyfriend. The damaged loner from the wrong side of the tracks. The broken boy who supposedly cannot be loved. If you drive off into the sunset laughing at the joke that I am, I won't blame you. I won't hate you. I never could. Because I love you. I love you, Betty Cooper." His heart was pounding in his ears and his gaze was fixated towards the field, afraid to look back into her eyes, afraid that he'd find hatred, or disgust. He huffed out breaths, winded by his wild proclamation. Betty was dead silent. Not a peep came from her, and he feared she was already gone. He shouldn't have been surprised, if someone like her- as beautiful as her, laughed at his pathetic love speech, he knew he should have seen it coming. 

But when he finally mustered up enough courage to turn his focus back to her, there were tears in her eyes. Happy tears, he hoped. Her hands were covering the huge smile that was on her face. His lips quirked into a goofy grin, and his eyes softened. They stung with happy tears, something he had never cried in his life. She brought her hands up to rest on his cheeks, and her face was so close to his that he could feel her shaky breaths on his face. 

"I love you, Jughead Jones." His gaze softened to a loving smile, and he crashed his lips into hers. All of the sparks that had been put out every time he had to control himself exploded. He hungrily kissed her, his hands coming up to cup her cheeks. His body shivered at the sudden contact, and he felt her body shiver too. Goosebumps appeared on her arms, and he smirked through her lips.

"A little pleased, are we?" he whispered between kisses, and he felt her lips curve upwards on his at his comment.

 

"I liked you too, Jug. So much. But I was afraid that you wouldn't like me so I never said anything." he let out a laugh, followed by a growl.

"So we were just two blind idiots, huh?" he whispered, moving his hands up to run through her golden waves. Her hands had already been running through his ink colored hair, but he didn't care. All he wanted was her, at that moment. Eventually, she pulled away, gasping for breath. His lungs burned. 

———-

 "I spin, I spin, I spin, I spin  
For you, for you, for you, for you"   

 

———-

They were now cuddled up in the truck bed of FP's old beat up vehicle. A thin blanket covered them both, but they were glued together. Even though they couldn't go all the way, they had shared many sweet, savory, and hungry kisses throughout the night. They were facing towards the field, and Betty's head lay on his chest. 

"How did you come up with your speech?" she asked, barely above a whisper. Her eyes were still closed. 

"It took me days to write." He chuckled lightly, feeling embarrassed.

"It was so beautiful, Jug. I can't believe you remembered the day we met," she whispered, kissing his jaw. 

"I would never, ever forget. Ask Archie, he said I was so starstruck all day." His cheeks tinged red, but the darkness hid it.

"Over me?" she asked, almost in disbelief.

"All because of you, Betty Cooper, because I love you. I did then, and I do now." he pressed a kiss into her hair, sighing happily. 

"I love you too, Jughead Jones." They fell asleep so peacefully, enjoying the sunset the next morning, and for the rest of their days. 

She was his favorite record. He was hers. 

———-

Favorite Record, by Fall Out Boy 

———-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading! Leave a like please, it really motivates me!


	9. Dangerous Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To say the drag race was a bad idea was an understatement. It was a stupid thing to do when you just got dumped by your (now ex) girlfriend via her ex-crush. But, business needed to be done, more so than his heart needed to be nursed back to health. So, Jughead did what any normal teenager in a gang would do, he competed in the drag race. With a broken heart. And a broken mind.
> 
> Or, Jughead does the drag race with a more unstable mind than he thought. It does not end well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess slight suicide attempt warning?? I’m not quite sure what to call it, but be warned. LOADS OF ANGST, because I’m an angst queen. This is another 2x05 rewrite, Enjoy!
> 
> Also I edit these myself so I’m sorry for the spelling errors!

To say the drag race was a bad idea was an understatement. It was a stupid thing to do when you just got dumped by your (now ex) girlfriend via her ex-crush. But, business needed to be done, more so than his heart needed to be nursed back to health. So, Jughead did what any normal teenager in a gang would do, he competed in the drag race. With a broken heart. And a broken mind.

As he sat in the drivers seat of the run down car Betty had fixed earlier that morning (he had managed to find a way to excuse himself. He couldn't bare to look at her), his mind was reeling. Hundreds of thoughts rushed through his broken brain, what if this is for real? What did I do? Can I talk her out of it? This race is a bad idea. And just at that notion, Cheryl lowered the small flags, and both cars sped to life. Jughead only realized his foot was crammed on the pedal when the world started to move. Everything was in slow motion. I'm not ready for this, I barely have my permit, these guys are better than me-

"Jug, be careful." It was Archie's wary voice that snapped him back from his daze. He had been replaying where it all went wrong over and over again. 

"Jug, I need you to know that I never stopped loving you. I don't think I can." Her sweet voice echoed in his ears.

"That funny, because right after you said you loved me, you sent Archie to dump me. I really feel the love, Betts." Her nickname had a poisonous ring to it. 

"I'll explain everything, I promise." Her voice was quiet. 

A strangled expression appeared on his face. An expression resembling pain, betrayal, longing. 

"Fine." He walked away, almost shaking. Not with anger, but with regret, and sadness. He hated himself more then she did, apparently. 

"She didn't mean to hurt you, Jughead." Archie's voice once again snapped him back to reality.

"Really? Because she did a good fucking job at it. The least she could have done was say it in person." He sighed, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. Finally, they were in an area where they could speed up. He pressed his foot down harder, and they picked up more speed, now neck and neck with their rival. His racing thoughts clouded his judgement, and he kept pushing the pedal, faster, faster, faster. 

Until the bridge came into view. He was still in a trance, his expression was hardened, and the speed gauge steadily raising.

"Jug, both of us can't fit on that bridge," Archie started, his wild eyes flickering between Jughead and the road ahead. He and the Ghoulies were neck and neck, but Archie was right.

"I can go faster and beat them to it first," Jughead replied, a wicked smile creeping on his lips. Not a happy one, an in control one. Finally, after letting his heart control him, he was back in the saddle. Back to being Jughead. Except this Jughead was careening down an asphalt road, grieving, hurting, scared. 

"Jughead, you have to slow down!" Archie raised his voice, but Jughead paid no mind. I can do this, Archie. They were both dangerously close to the bridge. The Ghoulies had pulled ahead, when they suddenly swerved left, catching the front of Jughead's car, causing him to lose control and start wobbling. The car jerked left and right, and then there was a tree. And then there was nothing. 

—————————

Crash. Her blood turned to ice, and then there was a scream. It only dawned on her that it was her scream when Veronica was shushing her. They weren't on good terms, but in this moment, they came together. Veronica wrapped her arms tightly around Betty, and then the floodgates let loose. She sobbed, only for a few seconds. Then she was off, in her running sneakers, bolting down the road. The blood roared in her ears, and her eyes were hyper focused on the road ahead, waiting to see the carnage. She stopped short at the sight. The car, wrapped around a thick tree. Jughead's car. Once again, she was on the move, and then she was on the drivers side. A huge airbag hid most of the inside, but a small part of his adorable crown beanie poked out, letting her know that he was there. 

She tore at the air bag and it deflated, leaving the bleeding boy that she loved in her sights. She brought her hands up to his face, crying uncontrollably. 

"Jug! Come back to me, please. I can't do this without you, you know I can't. This wasn't supposed to happen. We were supposed to be okay. I love you, so much. I'm so sorry. It was all a lie."

————————-

Quiet. The darkness of what he presumed was limbo filled his ears. The cries of Archie, the screaming engine, the crash, all gone. It was blissful silence. It was as if he was simply in a void, unsure of what to do. Muffled words started to creep into his ears, and he could hear the sound of someone speaking. His someone. 

"...I love you, so much. I'm so sorry. It was all a lie." What was a lie? 

"Please come back to me baby... He can't win. Just come back to me." Who can't win?

Then it dawned on him.

—————————

A gasp of air, and then baby blue met forest green. 

"Oh my god," she sobbed, bringing her head to rest her forehead against his.

"Who can't... win?" He croaked out, his voice shaky.

"I'll explain it all later, Jug, but you need help. Where is Archie?” She asked, looking up. He didn’t answer, so she hooked around the car to locate her best friend. He was laying on the ground, knocked out cold. He didn’t seem hurt, which means he probably jumped out seconds before they collided with the tree. She picked his head up off the ground to make sure that there weren’t any cuts or damage. There wasn’t. 

“Arch,” she whispered, hoping he’d wake up. He stirred a bit, which relieved her. She was able to sit him up and prop him up against the destroyed car. She felt better knowing at least he was okay. But the gnawing guilt came back to her when she was staring at her boyfriend again, trying to help him get out of the car. She opened the door, which promptly fell off. After dragging it out of the way, Veronica finally showed up. Her classy heels proved a disadvantage against Betty’s work out running shoes. 

“Archie!” She shrieked, which caused Jughead to groan in pain. 

“Veronica, shush!” She snapped, which caused the raven haired girl to quiet down, but not slow down. She round the corner and spotted him. Then there were tears. Betty has looked back to Jughead at that point.

“Jug, please, you’ve got to get up. We need to get you out of here. Veronica, did you call the police?” Betty called over to Veronica, who replied after a moment.

“I did, they’ll be here soon.” Then she went back to crying over Archie.

Betty turned back to her mostly unconscious boyfriend. Her heart rate quickened at the fact that he hadn’t made any noise.

“Jug? Jug! Hey, Jug, wake up, please!” She tapped his face lightly to try and get him to make any sort of noise. Nothing. She slammed her head on his chest to listen to his heartbeat. Faint, fading.

“No!” She screamed, grabbing his arms and yanking him out of the car. He was heavy, but she managed to get him out. He flopped to the ground, and she then propped him up against the side of the car as she did with Archie. Wailing sirens could be heard in the distance.

“Juggie, come on, they’re here, please, hold on. Hold on for me, I love you, I’m so sorry.” He could hear, but not speak. His raspy breaths were all she could hear when the paramedics raced up to her and tore her away. She sobbed, finally into Veronica’s arms when Archie was taken away too. The two girls stood, hugging each other, crying. 

————————————-

In. And out. In. And out. Beep. Beep. Beep. She didn’t know whether she was telling herself or her comatose boyfriend to breathe. She decided on both. She had been sitting in the uncomfortable hospital chair for almost a day now. Her head lay on the side of the bed, her hand in his. He hadn’t woken up once. He had been rushed into surgery with a broken rib, broken nose, and gash to the head. She had sat in the waiting room until she was told she could wait with him. His beanie was clutched in her hands. It was the only thing keeping her from digging crescent cuts into her palms. They had just healed after Jughead continuously caught her hands and held them while she cried. She finally knew that whenever she wanted to dig her nails into her palms to just cry into his arms, or to simply be in his arms. It was better then making herself bleed. He had even given her an extra hoodie of his to hold when she needed to cry and he wasn’t there. It had been used even when she wasn’t sad, just to sleep with. She had cried all the tears she possibly could in these last 24 hours, so now, she sat in the chair just hoping she’d get to see his beautiful blue eyes one more time. 

Eventually, Veronica came to visit, along with Archie.

“Hey Arch,” Betty smiled weakly at the redhead when he came in.

“How is Jug?” He asked, knowing that’s all that was on her mind.

“Still in a coma. They don’t know what’s going to happen to him.” She turned back to the raven haired boy and reached out to brush a curl off of his face. Her hand lingered on his cheek, brushing it gently. Tears stung her eyes again, but she kept them at bay and turned back to the pair.

“He’s a fighter, Betty. You know that. He won’t give up on you, no matter how angry he is.” Archie was still supportive even when he too was badly injured.

“Thank you, Archie. How are you?” She asked, gesturing to his crutch. 

“Better. I managed to jump out of the car somehow, but it still hurt like hell.” Veronica was wrapped tightly around him, and jealousy stung her for just a second at the fact that she got to be tucked into her boyfriend, while Betty prayed for hers. 

“I’m glad you’re okay. What happened? How did you guys crash?” She had to know what happened.

“It was slow at first, but once we were out of view Jug slammed on the pedal and was going so fast. This damn bridge up ahead couldn’t fit both of the cars, but Jughead wanted to go faster and get in front, but I yelled at him to slow down and then the Ghoulies caught us from the front and the car skidded into a tree. I threw myself out but Jughead didn’t.” He didn’t? He wanted to...?

“Actually, I was a little distracted when the Ghoulies cut us off.” A small croak from behind her made her eyes widen. She whipped her head around to see a small smirk on her now awake boyfriend’s face. And there were his eyes. His beautiful blue, ocean colored, sky reflecting eyes that she loved. 

“Jug!” She whimpered, and threw herself at him. A small ‘oof’ escaped him but he didn’t care. She began to cry, letting out all of the worry and anxiety that had built up over the past 24 hours.

“Nice sweatshirt,” he smirked. She had forgot to mention that she wore it after the race. A gift of her mother. She sat up and slapped his chest, and then brought her lips to his. Archie and Veronica left to give them some space.

“What the hell was that?” She finally said, her expression morphing into anger and concern. Their issues came rushing back. His face hardened.

“I should be asking you the same thing. Am I now not your boyfriend anymore? Who can’t win?” He echoed her words from earlier. Then it dawned on her that she had to tell him. Everything. 

She stood up abruptly, ripping herself away from his grasp. She sighed, and closed the door. And then she explained everything. She poured her heart out, how the black hood kept calling her, made her cut Veronica out (who luckily forgave her after she told her), how he would kill Jughead if she didn’t cut him out, and how heartbroken she was. She wouldn’t look at him. She refused. She didn’t want to see what she presumed was hurt and betrayal on his face if she were to look at him. 

Finally, she did. And instead of hurt or betrayal, she saw guilt, and love. 

“Betts.” was all he said. She didn’t know what that meant, so she froze.

“I’m sorry, I know I should have told you but I couldn’t risk you getting hurt. I guess it’s too late for that now.” She sighed, and brought her hands up to her face.

“Betts.” He said it again. And then she looked at him again. He was holding his arms out to her, and it seemed as her heart rebuilt itself, filling back up with love for him. Before she even knew it, she was back in his arms. Even though he was in pain, he let her rest her head on his chest. She smiled genuinely for the first time in days. 

“I’m sorry.” She scoffed.

“It’s my fault. It’s all my fault, Jug.” He chuckled.

“I shouldn’t have done the drag race. I kept thinking about you, and I kept brooding. That’s why I spun out.” Her eyes widened.

“It wasn’t because of the Ghoulies car?” She asked, feeling disgusted with herself.

“Well, it was a combination of both.” He sighed, grabbing her hands and holding them tightly.

“Jug...” she started, swallowing the lump in her throat.

“Did you... purposely stay in the car?” She asked, a sudden wave of anxiety causing her breath to hitch. His expression went blank. She knew her answer. She buried her face in his neck again and started to sob. She forced him to do this to himself. It fueled her anger towards the black hood, but also her hatred for herself. 

“I love you so much. Please don’t do that, please. You mean too much to me. Please don’t go.” She whimpered, tightening her grip on his hands.

“I’m so sorry.” She brought her head back up and kissed him. 

“Don’t ever forget that with or without me you matter. You mean so much to so many people. Please never forget that.” He nodded against her lips and then it seemed as if the wrongs had been fixed, and they were just together. Betty and Jughead, back together. They could both finally breath easy.

“I love you.” 

“I love you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading!


	10. Holding it on my Shoulders

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After his dad starts to drink heavily again, Jughead decides to leave home and find a new place to crash, without asking the Andrews’- god knows he’s asked them of too much already when he lived with them a few years ago. He needs time to figure things out while also playing it cool with Betty, but Betty Cooper can read Jughead Jones like an open book, and it’s just too much on his shoulders. 
> 
> [slight trigger warning for abuse? Read at your own discretion]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys this was written at 1AM and is going to be a sloppy emotional mess but I hope you enjoy it! This is set in 1.04 or after when Jughead was living at school.

Buzz... Buzz

The sound of a phone ringing snapped Jughead out of his trance. He had been working on his novel all day at Pop's and had been trapped in his own world, as he normally was. More often then not he'd just turn off his phone to save him from distractions, but today he was expecting a call from a certain blonde, and had been waiting patiently (and anxiously) all day for it. Of course it could have been his redhead longtime best friend Archie Andrews, but he was at football practice at the moment, which meant unless it was cancelled, he was currently unavailable. He picked up his cell phone and read the caller ID. He had been right, and when he read her name, a small smile crept onto his face. Had someone been sitting in front of him; say, Archie, he would have asked the raven haired boy what in the world could make Jughead Jones The Third possibly crack a smile. To be fair, Jughead rarely smiled. School was not a thing that he enjoyed. He was a loner, he had a total of two friends, he despised the high class bitches such as Cheryl Blossom and her possy, but he tolerated Veronica Lodge (mostly because she was Betty's friend). He passed all his classes with flying colors, he knew what he wanted to do with his life, and he had a tight group of friends. 

How could his life possibly be difficult? Well, he was madly in love with one of his two best friends. Elizabeth Cooper had been his "school crush" ever since sixth grade. That, and the fact that he lived under the staircase in Riverdale High School. His father had been on one of his drinking binges and he had been fed up with having to deal with it. He had packed a bag, some essentials, and took some of the canned food in his kitchen to help him survive. He knew that it was a stupid idea, but he couldn't bare to see his father's regret thrown at him every night when his father drank. (Betty had to clean up some of those messes on his face sometimes, but she didn't know he was leaving, and he was going to keep it that way). Betty Cooper didn't need to know that he was now homeless, because, as much as he loved her, she would try to be the hero here, or she would force his hand to live somewhere when he knew that he'd be fine on his own. He knew that he wasnt giving her the benefit of the doubt, but he just couldn't take any risks with this. If Archie found out, he would try to force him to live with he and Mr. Andrews, but Jughead had already done that, and couldn't do it again. He would be overstepping and just sucking money away from them. FP Jones the Second would not have his mistake suck life from other families. Yes, it was dark, but Jughead didn't feel as if he had a positive cell in his body.

Shaking his mind from his thoughts, he took a deep breath and lightened himself from his thoughts when he pressed the Answer Call button, and the bright a bubbly voice of his favorite girl touched his ears. It was like the soothing sounds of safety, as gooey as that was.

"Hey Jug, whatcha doin'?" Betty asked. He could tell she was walking because of her puffy breaths.

"Not much, Nancy Drew. Just working on my takedown of modern literature, you?" Before she could reply, two hands dropped on his shoulders, and strawberry perfume overwhelmed his senses.

"I wonder who it is," he joked, clearly sarcastically. But deep inside, a tiny little part of him just wanted to lose himself in her golden curls and her soft sweaters and get the gift of one of her forehead kisses, but that was wishful thinking. Instead, she came around and sat across from him in the booth and a little part of his heart ached that he'd never have the honor of being able to receive a kiss from Betty Cooper.

"Oh, just hanging out with my best friend, Mr. Broody Pants," she pouted her lips as she spoke, but he was too caught up in her beauty to notice it. Even her pouts were gorgeous. 

"Very funny," he replied, and then decided to close his laptop. His writing was finished for today.

"How's the novel going?" she asked. He loved the fact that she interested in him.

"Alright, I got some work done today."

"Was I interrupting you?"

"No, I was pretty much done anyway. I'm almost halfway done, Betts." He loved to call her that.

"Good, because I had an idea for us. Why don't we go back to the Blue and Gold and work on a news article for this week's paper? The writing is already done but we need photos and I heard an expert photographer lived in town. I figured when he was done brooding and writing his breakout novel, he could help little old Betty Cooper." Betty smiled widely.

"Betts, I'm not that good." he swore he could feel himself blushing, like an idiot.

"Juggie, you're amazing. Anyway, I need your help to take some photos of the new art gallery that was set up this afternoon. You in?" She grabbed a fry from the basket he had ordered earlier and took a bite out of it.

"Sure thing. Ready?" he put his computer away and dropped some cash on the table. Internally, he winced. He shouldn't be dropping cash so gingerly like it means so little to him, since he had to save every single penny now. He had to steal cash from Archie when he wasn't looking just to be able to afford his basic necessities. He felt god awful, but he would feel worse if he had to ask someone to take in a bottomless pit who could only offer snarky comments and sardonic humor. He shook off his haunting memories as Betty's voice cut into his thoughts like a knife.

"Juggie, you okay?" she asked. He hadn't even realized that they had made it all the way down the block and he was way in his head. 

"Yeah, I'm fine," he mumbled. Even he didn't believe himself. He wasn't sad, or recalling bad experiences from his past, he was just lost in his head and not paying attention. Only when Betty gently cupped his cheek with her hand did he alarmingly jump back into the present. The gesture had shocked him to say the least, but he involuntarily pressed into it, as if it was his only anchor keeping him from just receding into himself completely. 

"Jug? Juggie?" he had been completely ignoring her like an ass. Great. Nice going Jughead. Way to be moody and sad, and way to shove it in her face.

"Yeah, Betts, I'm okay. Just lost in my head." He tried his hardest to make it sound as convincing as he could let himself be.

"Jug, you look exhausted. When was the last time you slept well?" That made his skin crawl, but he kept his cool.

"Don't know, I've been doing a lot of homework lately. I've had to stay up late. I'm okay, really, but I appreciate you asking." He pulled away and kept walking while she walked by his side.

"Why don't we lay down on the couch in the Blue and Gold and you take a nap. I can't have our only photographer be asleep on his feet!" she smiled, squeezing his arm. He couldn't say no. He was absolutely exhausted, and he didn't have the energy to resist.

"Thank you, Betts, I appreciate it. Just for a half an hour, and then we can do the art gallery photos." she nodded and they walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence.

.......

She had actually insisted on the nap, which he supposed he knew was coming. While he was setting his bags down and plugging in his laptop, she had been shuffling around and when he turned toward the couch, she was sitting down the blanket laid out and an open space on her legs, which he presumed is where he laid his head. He instantly felt bad.

"Betty, no, you don't have to do that."

"Jughead, you need a nap, and I don't mind sitting here while you sleep. Seriously, lay down before I kick your butt!" he smiled his dopey lopsided smile, which he couldn't contain after hearing her threaten him. He pulled his beanie off his head and dropped it on the arm of the couch next to her. He pulled the blanket back and settled in. He finally laid his head on her lap and allowed himself to relax. He felt truly at peace for the first time in months. Betty Cooper decompressed him in seconds, which he marveled at. She was so peaceful and remarkable that she could make even the twisted Jughead Jones feel peaceful. It was sappy, which apparently was his brand nowadays, but as he was drifting off, it was all he could think about.

....

A while later, he finally stirred to the voice of Betty. 

"Jug? Juggie?" She whispered, tapping his shoulder lightly. He cracked open his eyes and squinted at the harsh lights of the Blue and Gold room. 

"Hmm?" He mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes.

"We gotta go, the janitors are kicking us out." He opened his eyes more so and only then he realized that it was dark. He nearly fell on the couch, and her lap, in a nervous fit. He tugged his beanie back over his unruly raven curls.

"Betty, why didn't you wake me up?!" Guilt gnawed at him.

"You were exhausted, and you were snoring. Not even a plane could have woken you up. Its okay, we can do the art gallery photos tomorrow." He felt awful. He passed out in five minutes and slept on her lap for five hours. 

"Betts, I'm so sorry. I didn't know I was so tired. Next time I'll wait, okay? Don't worry about-" she obviously didn't let him finish.

"Jughead Jones the Third, don't make me fight you on this. You were exhausted. Don't be sorry for sleeping. I was happy to help, okay? Walk me home?" She smiled happily. He practically melted into a puddle on the spot. He would follow her anywhere. He nodded a second later and they started the trek toward her house. Once they reached her door, she turned to him,

"Promise me you'll sleep more? I cant have you sleeping this much here if you're not sleeping enough at home. Everything's okay, right?" she turned to face him.

"Yeah, it's okay Betts. You know how my dad is, but I'm surviving." He felt every single bone in his body ache. He felt god awful for lying to her. 

"Good. If anything ever happens, you call me right away, got it?" He nodded, and smiled.

"Night Betts, thanks for being my pillow." He waved goodbye to her and started his trip back to school. Living in a closet wasn't ideal, but getting to school certainly was easier. Risking someone finding his closet, however, was not something that made him feel great.

.......

"Elizabeth, where on Earth have you been??" Alice Cooper, a.k.a the most venomous person on the planet, also her mother, had begun berating her the moment she came in the house. 

"Jughead and I were at the Blue and Gold. He was taking a nap, he was exhausted. We just got caught up, but he walked me home." Betty explained the situation, although she came to regret that.

"Did he tell you about FP's recent "activities"? Lord knows that boy has dealt with more then anyone else in this town." Betty instantly become confused. 

"Activities? What's going on?" Jughead had said that he was okay. Did he lie?

"FP's been heavily drinking again. Jughead's probably taking care of him. Town gossip goes around quick." Betty felt sick. Jughead was taking care of his alcoholic deadbeat dad alone? Why did he lie to her? Was that why he was so tired and sleep deprived? This had happened before, but he had been fourteen and had came to her for help. In fact he had broken down in her arms after keeping in his emotions for so long. He had only cried in front of her twice in his life. The other time had been when his mother left when he was ten. She had held him for hours that day. He was living at the Andrews and she could hear him crying through the door when she had come upstairs. Archie had called her over when he hadn't known what to do. So she did what she knew how to do. She held him, so tightly in her arms. While he cried. She had whispered "its okay" and "you're okay, I'm here" in his ears for so long. It had taken him days to recover, but she had been there. So why couldn't she be there for him now? She had remembered something his father had said while he was in jail for drunk driving a few months back.

"Jughead is scrappy. He can survive almost anywhere. But he needs his friends, they keep him afloat. Don't let him pull back, because lord knows he will. You hold onto him like your life depends on it and you don't let go." 

Betty grabbed her phone out of her pocket when she got upstairs and clicked on his contact and then "call". She had to talk to him. She would get down to the bottom of this if it was the death of her. It ringed for a few moments before it was cut off. He had denied her call. Her stomach practically lept out of her throat. She clicked on the voicemail button and right after it beeped she started speaking,

"Jughead Jones, you better call me back the second you get this. I don't know why you lied to me today, but you better tell me or I'm going to your dad to find out. Why didn't you tell me your dad is drinking again? I could have helped you, you know that. Do you not trust me? You know you can, Jug. Just... please, call me back." She was a nervous wreck by the time she clicked send, but she was also determined. She would not let Jughead pull back, not if she could help it.

.......

"...call me back." He felt like passing out. Betty knew. She knew about his dad, did that also mean she knew he wasn't at home? If she hadn't gone to FP already then that meant that she was going to and she would find out. He felt ashamed, embarrassed, disgusted with himself, and guilty. But he wasn't ready for all of this to be out to his friends yet. He just couldn't. He needed to sleep before he started to shake. He felt like he was going insane. 

When he awoke the next morning to his alarm, he clicked it off quickly and finally felt the previous day's events punch him in the gut, hard. He got up and gathered some clothes before eating a few scoops of canned whatever was on the table. He had let himself sleep until 7:30 that morning so that he could enjoy some rest to appease Betty. But now he felt that was out the window. He would probably have to come clean today. He quickly shoved some clothes on when he heard some rustling inside the school. Footsteps echoed in the hall and eventually faded. He would just need to sneak out to the bathroom to brush his hair and fix himself up. He felt like a sick mess, but he didn't bother to think about it. He was lost in his mind as he opened the door and froze. 

His blood was ice. He was cement, he couldn't move his body. He was glued to the very spot he was in, staring face to face with none other then Betty Cooper. His eyes locked onto hers and then he truly felt like he was going to evaporate. And , he also felt that he was about to throw up. In fact he could feel the feeling coming on, the one he'd had many times before. He took off immediately, straight to the bathroom where he promptly emptied whatever was inside his body into the toilet.

He felt like he was going to faint more then anything. He was sweaty and shaky and pale and shivery, but he was alone at least. He couldn't let anyone see him like this, let alone Betty. He thumped his back onto wall of the stall and let the tears fall. For his mother who ran, for his exhausted body, for his shame, his mind, for Betty, for his idiocy. Hot, wet tears that slid down his cheeks and splashed on his clothes, on his arms, on the floor. The bathroom door swung open and slammed against the wall and in a second the stall door was being ripped open, and then he was smelling her strawberry perfume, and feeling her soft pink sweater. He got his wish, right? He was being hugged by Betty Cooper. Except he was sobbing into her chest, and he was a sweaty disgusting mess, and he had just thrown up god knows what into the toilet. 

"Jug- Jughead, hey, look at me." Betty finally spoke, tearing his face away from her chest. He was still crying, but he opened his eyes to see her gentle eyes staring back at him. He sucked in shaky breaths as more tears dripped onto his clothes.

"I- I cant... I can't do this Betts. I can't. He's- he was drunk again- a-all the time... and I couldn't do it... I'm- I'm so sorry-" 

"Shhh... Juggie it's okay. You did the right thing, you hear me? You got out of there." 

"It was- it was my job.. my job to take c-care of him.. there's- th- there's too much I can't do.. " he leaned in to her touch and just closed his eyes. 

"Juggie, no, not anymore. Okay? You don't have to take care of him anymore."   
She had grabbed his head in her small hands and he was forced to look at her. His sobs had finally quieted down. So he looked her dead in the eye, and she stared right back at him. A second later, however, he felt dead. He was definitely dead, because there was no way in hell that Betty Cooper had just kissed him. Had just kissed his disgusting barf lips, his tear stained lips, his normal "Jughead" lips. He felt completely sober and clear for the few seconds that their lips clashed together. It was gentle, comforting, and expressive. When she pulled away, he could already feel the guilt seep onto her features,

"Jug- god I'm so sorry this is such a bad-"

"I've been wanting to do that for years." He could finally be honest. And even though he was still crying, hard, he knew exactly what had happened, and he didn't regret it at all. 

"Can you get up?" She asked after a few minutes. His sobs and hiccups had finally settled down, and he nodded slowly. She wrapped her arms around his back and helped him lift to his feet. He felt like collapsing, but he started dragging himself toward the closet. They just needed somewhere to sit away from the students in the hallways. He didn't even care who saw his disgusting face, but luckily they eventually made it to his home under the stairs. She shut the door after sitting him down and he leaned his back against the wall. He breathed slowly for a few seconds.

"Jug, why would you do this? You know Archie and I would happily take you in. You don't need to live in the closet at our highschool, and you don't need to lie to me." She wasn't angry, just worried. He swallowed dryly.

"I've already mooched enough from both of you, I couldn't do it again. This worked for me- for me Betts. I could have lived like this until my dad was sober enough for me to go back home." 

"Jughead, you're not a moocher. You're a boy who was put into an impossible situation. And you did the best you could. But we're here for you, whether you like it not. We can help you, and you bet your ass you're moving in with Archie and I don't want to hear anything from you. But why did you work yourself up about this?" 

He nodded before continuing, "I felt so god awful about lying to you that when I saw you this morning- I just- I practically died on the spot. I couldn't lie to you Betty, you do everything for me. And so has Archie, I just didn't want to have to depend on anyone else for once, but I can't even live on my own."

"Jughead, you're 16. You shouldn't be living alone. Not in this dinky closet. You shouldn't have to be an adult, you're a boy, a beautiful 16 year old boy who deserves so much better then the hand you were dealt. So shut up and hug me before we clean this all up." She sat down next to him and he sunk into her embrace. He didn't bother asking about the kiss because it didn't even feel real. He hoped to god it was, but he didn't even want to whisper about it, at the fear that she'd just laugh at him. But when she planted a solid kiss on his forehead, he felt dead once again, and he squeezed the hell out of the best girl he'd ever met in his entire life. Nothing else mattered, just the fact that he got to hug his girl, and that the weight had been lifted off of his tired shoulders.


End file.
